Cherry Picking
by Alis Volat Propris
Summary: It started with wanting to avenge Sasuke's death. From there, it turned into something else entirely. A forbidden truce between the two will lead Sakura down a path she didn't want to take. But if Itachi is innocent, then who murdered Sasuke?
1. Expectation

AN: Huzzah for crack pairings

AN: Huzzah for crack pairings. I wanted to try my hand at this. Hopefully it's enjoyable if not amusing.

The title comes from Negotiation methods:

**cherry picking** is used metaphorically to indicate the act of pointing at individual cases or data that seem to confirm a particular position, while ignoring a significant portion of related cases or data that may contradict that position. (Wikipedia)

"_It is generally known, that he who expects much will be often disappointed; yet disappointment seldom cures us of __expectation__, or has any effect other than that of producing a moral sentence or peevish exclamation__" -Samuel Johnson-_

Jade eyes narrowed as she watched diligently from her concealed position within the trees. 5 days it had taken to track him down, through rain and mud, nearly snow at portions of her journey. She was far away from home, away from anything she was familiar with. Her thoughts strayed to Konoha with longing. She had missed the funeral more than likely at this point. Her heart ached briefly at the thought. Naruto would probably never forgive her for that…of course he'd probably also never forgive her for going off on her own to do this. She hadn't even left a note explaining her absence…they might worry. But he couldn't understand. She _had_ to do this. To end this once and for all. _For Sasuke Kun…_

It had taken years of training, of exhausting herself, or pushing herself to the limits to deepen her chakra. Training with Naruto had helped her immensely because he never seemed to run out of chakra because of the kyuubi within him. Out of team seven she'd had the least amount of chakra. Through training she'd overcome her handicap. Hours upon hours upon hours had been used to increase her taijutsu skill. Lee had personally taken her under his wing and after that Neji would spar with her. She had trained with Kakashi and his sharingan to hone herself, prepare herself should she ever encounter Sasuke or Itachi. Kakashi had also been able to teach her the sword, getting her the twin katana she carried now after she'd made anbu. Sakura had changed. No longer was she the lovesick useless girl from her past. She was now a hardened warrior, a woman.

Muscles tensed in anxious anticipation, sweat dripped slowly and agonizingly down her shoulders and face as she waited for her opening. She had waited her entire life for a moment like this, trained for a moment like this. Jade eyes were intent and focused blending with the foliage. She had never felt so alive, so aware and ready. Her bubblegum pink hair was tied in a ponytail having grown longer, it barely was touching her back from it's high place. Her anbu mask was on top of her head, not on, keeping her bangs out of her face and concealing most of the bubblegum colored strands from her enemy. More importantly she would not fight this man with her mask on. He would know her face, her name as he died.

Her legs were cramping, muscles tired from the journey and being forced to squat for so long. The humidity was maddening, thick and tangible in the sweat pouring down from her back and face. It was worth it. She was prepared for this. She'd rested yesterday allowing her body to return to it's strength after journeying for so long. She was at the top of her game, 21 years old, an anbu captain. She had learned and grown into herself and her abilities. She had full chakra, and she was warmed up. She was ready for this. Now…Springing into action with her anbu speed she launched forward, twin katana unsheathed as she sliced. Ravens flew from her blow, but Sakura was fooled only momentarily by the shadow clone. She was an expert at chakra control and her senses were sharper than her teenage days. She sliced the air, having sensed his presence and was pleased as a piece of his clouded cloak fell to the ground.

Uchiha Itachi seemed to materialize before her. Sharingan eyes stared at her from behind black bangs, his long hair trailing in a low ponytail behind him. She couldn't meet his eyes. She knew this, but she didn't need to. His gaze like Sasuke, his little brother, had a physical affect. It burned her and she could feel it as it took in her appearence. She took in traces of his features as she launched her attack swords moving at blinding speed. His eyelashes were longer, the shadows on his face darker, but her heart still convulsed, shriveling in pain. He was so like Sasuke that it hurt and she fought the flinch. He was her enemy. Today he would die. Wasting no time, she was on him, twin swords spinning and slashing as the Uchiha prodigy drew his own single sword and parried. He said nothing, those piercing penetrating eyes staring at her, burning her still as she avoided them, while she launched her attack.

Twin swords danced elegantly and deadly as they slashed in combinations. His face betrayed no emotion but his eyes appeared watching everything with a strange fascination. Those sharingan could see her moves for all their intricacy and delicacy. She might have been flattered if she wasn't so hell bent on avenging Sasuke's death. _Let him see this, much good it will do him_ she thought launching her parcels of exploding senbon at him as she retreated in to the trees.

Senbon scattered the area. It had taken months of work to seal the jutsu that allowed for them to explode. Naruto's wind and sealing talent gained from Jiraiya before his untimely death had made it possible, as well as Sakura's knowledge and chakra control. It had taken several trial and error attempts. Several times she'd been caught in the cross fire and had spent the day pulling senbon out of her skin. Though Narutop himself had gotten them stuck in his ass. She'd giggled as she'd pulled them out with her tweezer as he'd cried. For someone as strong as he was and as skilled as a ninja he was such a cry baby. After those attempts, though the senbon had been a success. Now the deadly packages were just another trademark of Konoha elite ninja.

If he had gone down from that, Sakura was going to be disappointed. She split a few clones, allowing them to search out and be seen while she retreated to hide for a moment and scan for his chakra. She said a silent thank you to Naruto for forcing her to work heavily with clones against his own legion. They were handy, she had to admit, presuming one had enough chakra to spare. She'd prepared herself for the extravagant use of chakra. She'd found a way for them to feel like her. It used a bit of chakra to do it, but they retained her chakra signature. She lost the chakra, but it was a handy trick for fooling S class criminals. Her mind was racing, adrenaline fueling her, as she planned, leaving traces of things for her use, all the while calculating how long she had, and how she could avoid and maneuver the Uchiha into her traps.

She caught her breath stilling it, he was close. She launched forward seeing her opening as Itachi wrestled with one of her clones. He had attempted taijutsu and her clone now held him in place, position taught by Lee, who'd even managed to surpass Gai sensei in his knowledge of taijutsu. Gai sensei had been so proud of him. She grinned wryly and said a silent thank you to Lee. Itachi had underestimated her skill and would pay for it dearly. Of that she was certain. She brought twin katana up and out as she slashed, battle cry echoing into the air.

Arm guards had blocked her blow, but she knew better than that. She'd put chakra power behind her strike, and was satisfied to hear the sound of flesh scrape across her blade as he parried her first katana away from his arm to avoid further damage. _Did your sharingan see that Itachi, or was it too late to block? _she thought darkly. He had already dispersed her clone simply enough, his foot having blocked the other sword trying to force her back with his kick. She'd already planted her feet with chakra though and didn't budge. His eyebrows narrowed and he retreated a few paces back. Sakura blinked. He had retreated? What the hell? She stood twin katana poised, ready to strike, but waiting for him to make the first move. He simply regarded her intently, sharingan burning her though she avoided his gaze still. She fought the shiver that raced through her, hating that her body still responded, even to one as loathing as himself. She waited, tense, sweat trickling down her face, still avoiding his look.

"Why aren't you attacking!" She snarled, fury and adrenaline giving her a burst in speed. If he was gonna sit there and gawk she would make him pay for it. She landed a blow across his arm, Akatsuki robed sleeve coming off. Startled she realized there was no blood on her sword.

"You wanted to believe it, didn't you? that you had the strength to harm me?" Came a soft voice from behind her.

His body was so close to hers, hard and taught as a ninja's body should be. His breath brushed across her back and neck and fought the flinch. She was irritated that she'd been fooled. He'd been able to create that clone in the middle of the battle without her knowledge. That's why he'd stood still for so long. Such should have been expected from the Uchiha prodigy and she cursed her foolishness. A simple kunai was pressed to her throat.

"I did harm you, from the smell of your blood, _Uchiha_" She retorted, fiercely as she broke every bone in his hand.

"Don't be presumptuous." He warned her, dragging the kunai across her throat.

"Damn you!" Sakura snarled, fists clenched as she whirled on her heel to hit him with a chakra boosted punch. Her neck was bleeding, but she healed it quickly, launching her attack again.

"A medic nin? I see." Itachi told her, face blank, but blood red eyes alight with amusement.

"Fight me! Or are you too scared?" She cried.

Eerie laughter surrounded her. She slashed above her, fury emboldening her strokes. She'd almost hit him.

"You have a lot to answer for _Itachi_!" She hissed as he leapt over her, mocking her.

"If I do not answer to a kage, why should your personal ideal of justice concern me, Kunoichi?" He said, voice silky and controlled. His voice had echoed from above the trees.

Sakura's eyes narrowed, and she fixed chakra into her feet jumping from tree to tree as she bounced from point to point off the two trees climbing higher, until she could stand firmly on a branch. The sun peeked out through the clouds blinding her momentarily, but that was all it took. She just barely kept his sword from taking her head, as she parried. Leaping backwards she managed some sort of hit on him mid air and they exchanged a volley of blows before landing again. She launched herself off of the tree using her momentum to speed towards Itachi. Apparently her earlier hit had only knicked his thigh, the slice apparent on his Akatsuki coat. She blocked and parried his sword, sword whittling past his neck. She flipped, turning, and landed, balanced on a shaky branch, that bent with her weight. She kept a foot out like a dancer to keep her balance, and the other foot was rigid and prone, her chakra keeping her in place as well as her own balance.

"Impressive. Your chakra control is exceptional Kunoichi." Itachi complimented her.

"My name is Haruno, Sakura. The name of the person who_ will_ kill you!" She said with determination as she used the counterweight of the branch to spring up swords flashing in the light of the sun.

"Sakura…my foolish little brother's team-mate. How quaint" Itachi mocked, blocking her and sending her sailing past and over him. He appeared before her with lightning speed. She parried the blow with a swipe of the sword, landing on the ground as her sandals slid, the dirt flying from the impact. She grit her teeth as her feet ached. She healed the bruises on her feet knowing she would need to be at full strength to keep up with Itachi. The sword to her left was parried, the sword in her right sailing past his shoulder. She grinned as he leapt again for the trees. She tossed her sword in to the air and smashed her fist into the tree, wildlife left in the surrounding area giving alarming cries as the tree fell taking others down with it. Catching her sword, she retreated with a knowing smirk. Itachi was forced to take the ground but found his way littered with explosive kunai and wire. What he hadn't accounted for was another 4 packages of senbon.

The explosion rocked the forest probably killing any wildlife that hadn't escaped. Even Sakura was forced to retreat again from the destruction. She'd placed atleast four different packages of senbon on top of the kunai charges. Either he'd bluffed earlier in not seeing her swords, or he really hadn't and this would prove her theory. She waited, tense, scanning for his chakra signature. That had to have taken care of him...Though she had underestimated the sharingan in the past. But avoiding so many senbon needles, kunai and wire, as well as the explosion was practically impossible for anbu, much less elite s class criminals. She scanned for his chakra. He wasn't a god. He was human.

"Looking for my remains?" He murmured behind her. Sakura's swords whirled, but he was able to block both of them, arm not straining at all from her chakra boosted parry.

"Is this amusing to you?" She said, gritting her teeth in frustration.

"Mildly. You're weak." He taunted, though once again he still had a blank expression.

That was it. Her entire life she had been mocked for her weakness. The weakest of her team, the weakest in her class. When push came to shove at every turn in her youth she hadn't been able tom protect the people she'd loved. She hadn't been able to keep Sasuke from leaving. And now he was dead. She was done with being weak. She would kill this man and nothing would stop her now. She was not weak anymore. She had managed to injure him, a fact he hadn't remembered and she had taken for granted. She had taken several other s class criminals, such as Sasori, the puppet master Akatsuki member, and that feat was accomplished in her youth. She would end this.

With a flick of her heel, she smashed the ground, jumping up after him as they exchanged blows mid spin. She managed to cling to a side of a tree looking for him.

She had quick enough reflexes to block the sword with her two, but even with her chakra boosting her strength her arms were still shaking trying to keep the Uchiha prodigy at bay. The bark peeled from their contact as they slid, causing deep marks within the trees as they fought. It didn't help that they were doing this battle sideways and she had to control the chakra in her feet as well as her hands and arms. Sweat trickled down her face, pink bangs escaping from her ponytail with her effort.

He pushed her back, advancing.

"Tell me kunoichi before you die, why you thought it wise to provoke me?" Itachi said, that goddamned blank expression still slapped across his features. It tore her as she thought of Sasuke. _Sasuke kun…_

"Because you're a murderer!" She snarled, using her rage to her advantage and pressing forward.

"You will have to be more specific" Itachi said as he allowed her to gain ground.

"You killed Sasuke!" She cried, managing a deep slash across his chest. She was startled by the blow, but more startled by the look of surprise and disbelief in Itachi's eyes as she done it. Had her words affected him so much?

Sharingan eyes widened and narrowed and he disappeared from her view. The next time Sakura blinked she felt the wind knocked out of her from a devastating blow to her side. Even with her anbu skill she hadn't been able to see that coming. Such was the power of the Uchiha clan. She had summoned her chakra to ward off and cushion the blow too late. Ribs cracked painfully, and she curled, bracing herself as she flew up and to the right smashing into a tree, her back taking most of the damage, as the tree cracked and she fell, a thousand branches breaking her fall in the process. She was able to cushion her fall this time with chakra to avoid dying with a splat.

She didn't have a moment to process her near death, as she was slammed into a tree trunk painfully. He had pinned her right hand with his knee, sending the sword in her left hand flying, as his knee pinched painfully into her skin, forcing her to release her tenuous grip on the sword in her right. Her hand latched onto the arms of Itachi as he strangled her, gasping for breath, her body aching in a thousand places. It was the hand that was broken and his blood mingled with her own dripping red and fierce as his eyes. She choked on her pain, her medic body already in the process of healing her as her chakra glowed. It was a good thing he had a choke hold, because she probably wouldn't be able to stand on her own. She glared at him fiercely.

"If you break it, you will regret it." He warned her, sharingan flaring. She blinked back tears as she breathed painfully trying to make the most of her healing while she could. The cuts burned as did her muscles, her chakra dealing with them so that they wouldn't become infected. Who was she kidding? She might not even be alive in the next few minutes.

She was surrounded by a green aura, making her jade eyes all the more intense, the colors playing across her face, highlighting that bubblegum pink hair. Her mask was cracked, from a slice she hadn't realized he'd landed. She was fortunate her mask had spared her that blow or she would be dead now. As it was he watched with fascination as the green chakra sealed the slashes across her face, though the blood still marred her cheek. _It didn't suit her_ he thought suddenly and Itachi regretted the thought instantly. _You're weak _he berated himself.

"Why did you do it?" She rasped, stalling.

Itachi wrestled with himself. She was healing herself as they spoke, trying to stall. She was the apprentice to the sannin Tsunade herself and so her healing skills were above par. He wondered briefly if the rumors of her surpassing her mentor were true. If he told her, he would reveal his own lack of information and have to keep her alive to find out her information. It would require giving information, but if what she was saying was true…he had to know. He had never negotiated for information, merely tortured his victims, but then again he'd never been put in the position where the person in question was his last missing family member and also his spare.

He would do it. After all he could kill her later should she prove a problem. She most certainly wasn't a threat at her skill level, though she had gotten lucky. He cringed as he still had some senbon needles stuck in him, chakra counteracting the poisons and toxins she'd laced them with. She was clever that much was certain, and he'd been a fool for underestimating her on account of their past. Further proof that his ties to Konoha needed to be severed. Though if her information was correct, he'd just severed the last family tie without his knowledge. He released her, and she slipped to the ground, crying out at the pain from her damaged ribs.

"I didn't kill him." He replied, hoping to play on her compassionate side and throw her off guard. He'd read her correctly.

Green eyes widened in disbelief. "It had to have been you…there was no one else…"

"Kunoichi-"

"Sakura" she interjected.

"Sakura then, I have no reason to lie to you" He said simply, building and gaining trust.

"There's no one else powerful enough to-" Sakura choked, spitting blood as she realized there was quite a bit more damage than she'd originally thought. But to waste anymore chakra was to sacrifice herself at the hands of Itachi. How had he managed such fierce damage with a single blow. He had been taking it easy on her. Green eyes narrowed.

"That isn't true and I think you know it." He said simply debating. If he kept her alive he could get the story out of her one way or another. He wouldn't have to use the mangekyou which was costly in terms of chakra anyways .

"Tell me kunoichi, did his body have any unusual wounds…missing appendages hands….ears…eyes for example?" Itachi asked her.

Jade eyes narrowed. "Why should I tell you?"

"Because I will torture you slowly and painfully if you do not. As it is your death is probably imminent."

Sakura glared. "And that's motivation for me to-" She choked, spitting up blood again.

"You might want to put your efforts towards your own healing, instead of being spiteful." He said simply. Sakura looked up into his eyes searching for mockery. There was none evident on his face, and she winced as she realized she'd looked into his eyes.

"You'd looked into my eyes before now, Kunoichi. If I wanted you in a genjutsu you'd already be in one. As it was I wanted you to experience that fall, though if you aren't more compromising I might be forced to used the Mangekyou." He said.

"You wouldn't…going..blind" She rasped, blood dribbling down her chin as she worked her chakra overtime in healing the internal bruising, bleeding and rupturing.

"You were misinformed." He repeated.

She shook her head fervently, a smirk gracing her face.

"Kakashi sensei knew….he suffers the same problems. You can't pretend" She retorted.

His eyes blinked for half a second longer than they had before. She knew he was bluffing.

"Do not test my patience Kunoichi. You either know, or serve no further purpose." He replied haughtily, impatience evidence in the rigidness of his stance. God damned arrogant Uchiha. _It must be a family thing_ she thought the trace of a smile flickering only to disappear. He toyed with a single kunai, twirling it in his fingers as she'd seen so many Anbu do…as she'd seen Sasuke do. The memories overwhelmed her, stalling her chakra as her vision blurred. She choked again, spitting up more blood.

"I know…" And she hit the ground, passing out from the pain of her injuries, the shock to her system and fatigue. When she hit the floor, Itachi growled his frustration. He couldn't kill her now. He would be forced to take her, simply to figure out what it was that she knew, probably through a long and torturing process where he would more than likely be forced to use the Mangekyou. Anbu may have changed but if she had made Anbu she'd probably received torturing training, and strength of mind training. She'd be able to resist the basics of torture and Itachi didn't have the taste for long drawn out torture. It was a benefit that the Mangekyou was quick. The only other option he had at this point was that he would have to infiltrate Konoha to get more information. That would not sit well with leader sama. Perhaps she was less problematic than that complication. He consoled himself with that thought.

"Kisame" He called.

The ex mist nin appeared before him, towering over the tall Uchiha. His sharp teeth were locked in a grin as he looked from the girl to his partner.

"For someone as weak as she was, she certainly did more damage than any of the other nin we've fought" He said.

He found himself breathless from a kick from the Uchiha, and in a headlock, his own samehada forced and already cutting his throat before he could recognize the movement.

"If you value your weak life Kisame, you will take her, drain half of whatever chakra she has left and say nothing further until we reach head quarters."

Choking, though it was half laughter, Kisame was released as Samehada hit the ground with a thud and the Uchiha disappeared.

Laughing to himself, blood dripping, he settled his sword against her, draining her as ordered, and picked up her unconscious body, none too carefully and threw her over his back.


	2. Of Kindness and Torture

AN: This chapter was so fun to write. Please Enjoy :bows:

"_Torturing someone doesn't involve mere cruelty. What will break someone is the transition from torture to kindness. Do both and you will break a man." -Anonymous-_

Emerald green eyes flickered open and Sakura had to bite back the groan she felt as her entire body pulsed and ached with wretched pain. She choked on the pain and her chakra flared to life her automatic response to get to work on the injured and offending body parts. She paused considering. She was dangerously low on chakra. If she used her chakra to heal herself she would not be able to fend off whoever came. The last thing she remembered was being taken off by Itachi. _If Itachi has me captive here there's no way I'll be able to fight him_ she thought, depressed at her pessimism. If Naruto was here he'd be smiling that stupid goofy grin of his and telling her that he'd get them out of here and that they'd find a way. If Kakashi was here he probably would have thought of something. No…they never would have been caught in the fucking first place. Sakura's eyes stung in bitter shame. Years upon years spent, to avoid this very thing from happening. She was weak…still after all this time…after all this goddamned time. Worse still, she didn't do a damned thing to him. Disillusioned she bit her lip, feeling the tears, as she put her chakra to the best use. _Stop that, you need to figure out a plan Shannaro!_ Inner Sakura reminded her.

That's right. Sakura sniffled once and forced the tears down with a swallow. She took in the environment she was surrounded by. She was still wearing her Anbu uniform though it was a bit worse for wear, containing snags and tears and dents in terms of armor from her un-surreptitious fall. All the weapons he could have found had been removed, excluding the single senbon she had in her bra. Little good it did her she thought with a huff. Her hands were bound and her Anbu vest and shirt kept her from reaching it. No time for focusing on what she didn't have. She didn't know how long she'd been out or how long she still had to formulate a plan before someone would come.

She wasn't naïve enough to think that there wouldn't be torture involved. No she knew exactly what would happen to her at this point and sheer terror coursed through her entire being at the thought. She had sat in on Ibiki's sessions with ninja caught from other clans and countries. He would ask her to help particularly with genjutsu, claiming breaking the mind would hurry the interrogation along. Of course Ibiki loved to break the body first. Shuddering as the images flooded her mind, adrenaline raced through her reaffirming the urgency of her situation. This time she would be the one under interrogation with one Uchiha Itachi the genjutsu master with his feared sharingan applying her torture. _You're a ninja! You knew what you were getting into with this_ She rebuked herself_. Stop panicking, it's not helping…take a deep breathe and access your situation_.

Jade green eyes took in her situation and atmosphere around her. She realized with dismay that she was bound, lying on a cold concrete floor, and her muscles were cramped, the cold not helping with her pain. Wincing, she wiggled a bit testing her abilities. She shivered but her muscles were tight and asleep, tingling partially from the cold and partially from her wounds and the extent of damage she'd taken when she'd fallen. Damn it. Her ribs were still busted, though not puncturing her lungs as before. She took care of the internal damage first knitting herself back together with her chakra as she bit her lip thinking.

The rocks that the cell appeared to be made of reflected the green from her chakra. Her hands were bound and above her head, hanging painfully. Her feet were bound. She shot small charge of chakra into her handcuffs hoping for luck. Nothing. Her handcuffs were immune to chakra…someone had planned for an elite ninja to be here. She probably should have taken it as a compliment but it only served to upset her more. She wriggled her wrists biting back the cry of pain from her sore arms. She'd slit her wrist on the cuffs and wiggled, hoping the blood would make a way for her to grease her hands through. Success! She nearly cried out in relief as a hand dropped from the cuffs. The other came, and she bit her lip from the pain, the coppery tang of blood waking her up further. She moved her arms, wincing at the pain, but needing to get the blood circulating again. They tingled and ached but at least they would be usable. She clotted the blood from her wrists, hoping not to loose any more blood as she was already feeling dizzy and weak. It was a start, her hands were free.

This was too easy…something wasn't right. A raven overhead cawed, startling Sakura. She dispelled the genjutsu quickly, terror beginning to seize her again. Oh gods…She didn't know…she hadn't known that she was in a genjutsu, she…a genjutsu specialist. Everything had felt so real…she shivered closing her eyes and opening them again

"You know my skill for what it is Kunoichi, having lived it." Itachi said. He sat on a ledge against the wall, watching her with those blood red sharingan. Briefly her heart sank at the family resemblance, but this was Itachi, a monster worse than his little brother had become to try and murder the man standing before her.

"I have a name, and you know it, and therefore have no excuse." Sakura retorted, shifting against her bindings. Her face contorted with pain as she continued her healing.

"Your name is meaningless here" Itachi replied.

"Why are you bothering with this meaningless conversation? Torture me, ask your questions…do something" She replied in a bored manner.

"You tremble as you say that…Sakura." Itachi said, the way her name rolled off his tongue sounding dark and sinister. She shivered again.

"Shall we skip the pleasantries?" Sakura, said irritated by the arrogance of the man before her.

"Tell me how he died" Itachi ordered.

Sakura paused. Truth was usually the best approach as the s class criminal would know if she was lying anyways.

"I don't know. I didn't stay long enough to perform the autopsy" She replied.

"What do you know about his body?" His voice was so soothing to listen to she thought absently.

"That he died and his body was found and brought back to Konoha for the funeral" Sakura replied.

"Even as a missing nin?" Itachi's eyes widened a fraction here.

Jade eyes narrowed giving him the fury of her fully heated gaze. The embodiment of hatred was painted on her expression. Perhaps she wasn't as weak as he'd thought her to be.

"The only reason Sasuke left was because of you" she snarled.

"The fact that Orochimaru offered him power to do so, certainly had no bearing on that, did it?" Itachi retorted, sarcasm dripping from his tone. "Since you don't know about his body, you don't know if they've buried him with the rest of the Konoha ninja or not."

Sakura processed this information stoically refusing to give ways to her doubts and fears. He was buried with the other nin. He was trying to cut her, to make her break but she wouldn't be so easily had.

Itachi let her sit and process as he did his own information. He took the information in stride. She didn't know anything about the body, which rendered her useless for the moment. He had already gone to the trouble of bringing her here so killing her would be a waste of time and effort, though it would probably help quell the rage he felt. He had been had by her sentence before she passed out. What a fool he thought. There was no use crying over spilt blood. She was here now and there wasn't much else to be done other than use the opportunity as he could to gain power. She couldn't be entirely useless…she was the hokage's apprentice. She'd been trained by Tsunade in as a medic which was no small feat. She was Anbu and while their skills and fleet had been rapidly declining after he left, she still had some tricks up her sleeve. He thought irritatingly of the senbon he'd had to pull out of his flesh.

She appeared from everything he'd deduced to be a prominent member of Konoha. They would miss her if she was gone. She had been on the same team as his foolish albeit now deceased little brother, which meant that she was also on the team with the kyuubi. From what he remembered of their encounters she had been close with her team mates. Her uselessness was rapidly decreasing as he evaluated the situation. Itachi was not a short range thinker. It had been what had kept him alive thus far.

He had landed a prodigy of the sannin; a medical expert herself would save himself a lot of the trouble along the way as he searched to find out what had happened to his foolish little brother. Itachi allowed his mind to process and formulate. She would be useful since he had taken the time to bring her here, her death would not serve any purpose even if it would make him feel better and shut up her incessant praddling. He had his plan formulated. Now he needed her trust. How could he turn this situation around?

"Not knowing who killed him, or how must keep you up at night" Itachi remarked casually.

"It's none of your concern." Sakura remarked.

"It concerns me more than you might think" Itachi replied.

Green eyes widened incredulously. "You cannot tell me that you actually feel remorse for the loss of your brother?" Sakura said, sitting up and wincing at her chained hands.

Her healing had been real, because she felt much better than she had earlier in the genjutsu. Everything else was still the same in the room except for her freed hands.She also hadn't cut her wrists which she noticed though they were still sore. How had she fallen for a genjutsu in the first place though? When had he done it…and how had she healed herself if she was in a genjutsu? Was she still in one? She dispelled it again to make sure and caught his wry smile at her efforts. Her eyes narrowed, putting feeling into her hatred of him.

"I'm incredibly grieved at his death." Itachi said with feeling.

He'd lost his spare and would now have to settle for Uchiha Madara. His plans would have to be considerably altered and this was the time where he needed to act, before he lost his eyesight for good. Uchiha Itachi would not live blind, and sharingan-less.

"I don't believe you." She said, jade eyes narrowed and glaring daggers at him.

"Believe what you will, Kunoichi. It is of little consequence to me" He said as he rose to stand, Akatsuki cloak flaring as he rose from the stone wall by the window he'd been perching on.

She shifted away from him startled and mistrustful. He didn't blame her. He reached into his coat and she flinched, breath held. He pulled out the key to her bindings, unlocking her legs, which she promptly used to crawl away from him, a cry of pain escaping her lips. He then unlocked her hands from the cuffs, and her arms fell limply to her sides, lack of circulation and heat. She had expected torture, rudeness, conversation with the ability to hurt and harm her, demeaning her entire existence, as a woman, and a ninja.

His kindness broke her.

"What are you doing..." She trembled, trying to get her hands and arms circulated so she could defend herself, terrified because she didn't know when the catch would be. When he would turn on her and torture her.

"You're not staying here. You have need of physical and medial attention. Follow me and do not try anything, less my kindness cease." He said.

Sakura rose shakily and hesitantly to her feet. There was no point in fighting him. Wherever he was taking her, she didn't have the strength to inflict anything remotely close to damage on him, particularly with her severe lack of chakra. She winced in pain using the remaining chakra she had to heal herself and followed after him. She was alert, terror prickling her senses as she watched him like a hawk. He smiled grimly. This would be very entertaining.

Sakura paced, as she walked within the spacious room they had given her. The surrounding room was made with tan rocks, bricked in formation. They almost looked like sandstone, though she had tried to break them with her knuckles earlier and found them more resilient than sandstone. Of course she was also depleted of chakra. In the room itself she had access to medical scrolls and books on jutsu of all kinds within the many bookshelves lining the far back wall. The bed was spacious and soft red and black. The silk sheets were not laced with poison of any kind, the pillows and goose down comforter soft and simple, nothing hidden that might be menacing. She'd tried to look beneath the bed but there was simply a mahogany box holding up the bed and preventing getting beneath the bed. Though Sakura was still skeptical.

They had provided her a chair and tables for study as well as a notebook and pen for any notes she wished to take. Neither of those had been trapped as she'd nearly taken the table apart trying to find the catch to all of this. A big hearth of a fireplace roared with fire, warming the room, and giving off an orange glow. The air wasn't poisoned and there was nothing in the fireplace or with the wood that even hinted of truth serum, or any other chemical. The candles they'd provided her with would give her ample light should she wish to study but simply smelled of vanilla which didn't mask anything when it came to poisons and chemicals. They'd provided her with simple flint to light them, though even as depleted as she was she probably could have used her chakra to light the candles in soon time.

Sakura's pink brows furrowed. She was a prisoner here, being held captive by the Akatsuki. Nothing was laced with poison, or booby trapped to scheme her. She had already explored every crevice in the brick formation, searching for spying jutsu or something that would signify she was a prisoner. Where she had expected torture she'd received nothing but kindness, generosity, and service. The only thing he had done was place a seal upon her to reduce her chakra. She rubbed her shoulder absently, the bastard placing the mark of the Uchiha clan to conceal the sealing patterns. It itched. He'd also placed it in the same place Sasuke's cursed seal had been. The significance was not missed on Sakura's part though she was surprised and suspicious that he had known about it.

"I figured you would appreciate the gesture as one who loved my brother" He'd said simply.

Bastard. With her chakra sealed as much as he had, she was a harmless as a kitten. Especially up against the Akatsuki members. A bowl of fruit rested against the hearth and there was cheese and bread and water for her on the table. He'd left her with a glass of wine, and a pitcher of water. She'd tested them 6 times, depleting the chakra she'd regained, and still there was nothing poisonous or harmful about the fruit. As Anbu even the undetected poisons would still show up, because she'd memorized and dealt with these poisons on a daily basis. Her chakra had tested them. Good fruit was hard to come by, but apparently s classed criminals didn't have that problem. Her stomach cried out, hunger pangs beginning to hurt her. Still, she didn't want to eat. She couldn't trust them, couldn't trust any of this. But if she didn't eat she wouldn't keep up her strength.

Her brow furrowed deeper. This was not at all what she'd thought her experience of the Akatsuki was going to be, of the horror stories she'd heard from victims, of the few that had survived their ordeals. The very last words Itachi had told her before he'd left stuck with her. _Is it so hard to accept that I'm not the monster you thought I'd be?_ She shifted through the conversation again, thinking she'd overlooked something or missed some subtle nuance in all of it.

"What is this? Why are you doing this? What do you want from me?" Sakura demanded, half sobbing from the sheer realization of it all. Damn it, she'd expected torture. Were they playing with her? Giving her all of this and then torturing her later? She would not be played the fool. She couldn't stand it. She wouldn't stand it.

"I have no reason to be cruel to you Sakura san. It was you after all who started our battle, I merely finished it." Itachi replied as he lit the fireplace.

"The hell you don't! I've heard about the things Akatsuki does to their war criminals! The way you've deliberately tortured leaf nins! I've had to heal your victims Itachi!" She snarled storming towards him, in his face, green eyes brilliant with the light of the fire reflecting in them.

"I do not deny that I can be cruel, Sakura. Were you standing in the way of my objectives that might be a different matter, but as you are not currently, I have no reason to be unnecessarily cruel."

"Konoha is hunting Akatsuki members because of your cruelty! You're a liar!" She replied.

Blood red eyes fixed themselves on her intently, his chakra summoned. She felt the sheer power and took a step back, though those green eyes never lost an ounce of their fury. She was so defiant, so proud and stubborn. Truly fitting of a Konoha Kunoichi. Strong yet utterly weak. It fascinated him, that she had these two qualities and how they mixed and interchanged. He would study her. Solve her like a math problem, or a science project and be done with her as he used her to further his goals.

"I have no reason to lie to you. I do not inform you of all information for my own purposes certainly, but I have not lied to you. Tell me Kunoichi, how different would my fate be, if I were captured by Konoha this moment."

"That's completely different, you're a murderer!" She said, scowling.

"What ninja isn't Sakura? I think your assumptions and presumptions about your village as opposed to any other, or in comparison with Akatsuki are a bit naïve."

"Atleast I have a loyalty to a village, Itachi, and not some hell bent S class organization"

"Is it so hard to accept that I am not the monster you thought I'd be?" He said softly and that single sentence shocked her and shut her up.

"I will leave you now to your own devises. The bathroom and kitchen is down the hall should you need anything and your change of clothes is in the dresser. Do not go out without them Sakura or you will not enjoy the consequences. We may be an organization but we are all individuals, after all." Itachi said as he left, the door closing behind him.

Sakura glared at the dresser as she stopped her pacing. There was no way in hell she was going to be stuck here in this room all day, no matter how nice it was. She couldn't trust any of this, but she was in desperate need of a shower. She walked to the dresser opening up the doors to it. An Akatsuki cloak hung from a hanger, and inside the droors were a few fresh pairs of shorts, fishnet undershirts, black shirts to go over said fishnets and lengths of bandages to bind her chest with. Startled she saw her pack hanging from one of the hooks in the dresser, grabbing it she sifted through her things. Her medic skirt, haruno vest and boots were still there. She was still wearing her ruined anbu gear.

"The hell if he thinks I'm going to wear tha-" something caught her eye as she looked beyond the cloak.

It was a ring. The characters spelt Suzaku in reference to an old constellation. This was the ring Uchiha Itachi always wore. She used the last bit of chakra she'd regained in the past hour to check the ring. It wasn't trapped, it didn't appear to have anything that would harm her. She picked it up delicately with the pen she had in the room turning it. It was by all accounts an ordinary ring. It was too big to fit on any of her other digits and so she stuck it on her thumb. Perhaps it had something to do with the Uchiha clan. Regardless he'd left it for her to wear and she thought it was pretty. Maybe she could bring it to Sasuke's grave when she finally killed Itachi and made it out of here. In either case she could research it and it would be useful to keep with her when she returned to Konoha. She didn't know how, but she would.

She changed into her gear zipping up the vest as the final touch of her clothing. She retied her forehead protector as a headband keeping her hair back and out of her face. She felt more like herself even if she didn't have her chakra. She stepped cautiously towards the door listening for anyone as she didn't have the chakra to scan the area any more. Hesitantly she opened the door and stepped outside. There appeared to be no one there. Itachi had said the bathroom was down the hall…but he hadn't said where, damn him!

The sound of a shuffling robe alerted her to a presence, and she barely made out that the figure, though female in appearance, was a man before she registered the bomb. She was blown into the concrete wall before anything else could be done, and cracked her head against those damn tan bricks. The man's breathing was quick and harsh as if she had scared him. _I'm so very tired of having the shit beaten out of me and being blown up. _Her last thoughts weren't horribly deep as she blacked out, healing chakra unable to staunch the flow of blood.

"Holy Shit, Deidara! This isnt Headquarters, but do you want to alert every nin out there that-" Kisame stopped, as he looked at the disgruntled Deidara, and the body of the Anbu chick he'd carried, on the floor…not moving. The puddle of blood was his first clue of why the explosion had happened. Her pink hair was already red with blood.

"Not good" He said as he made his way down to the scene. The coppery tang of her blood would alert everyone within the vicinity of her presence. _Damn,_ Kisame grumbled.

Deidara was crouched over her unconscious body, now burned from the bomb, which had also left scorch marks on the bricks and poking her with his tongued hand.

"Why does Itachi have a girl, _here,_ Yeah?" Deidara asked blue eyes widening as he looked upon the body.

"Shit. That's Itachi's ring isn't it?" Kisame asked as he looked at her sprawled hand where the ring was still on her thumb.

"It is yeah…Fuck. Uhn!" Deidara replied looking at the mess.

"God damn it Deidara, you just blew the holy shit out of our _prisoner_!" Kisame groaned fighting the urge to run the skinny blonde twit through with Samehada. Of course then he would have to take the brunt of Itachi's rage, and while beating the shit out of Deidara would make him feel better there was nothing that Kisame would do to trade places on the guillotine when Itachi was the executor, which would happen if he killed the little shit.

"How the hell was I supposed to know, Yeah. She wasn't wearing an Akatsuki robe and I panicked when I saw her in the hallway. I wasn't expecting to get ambushed in our own _hideout_, Yeah." He replied, indignant.

"You God Damned Idiot!" Kisame growled. His partner was gonna shit a brick when he saw this. And both of them would suffer!

"If Itachi's gonna have a fucking prisoner here, Yeah, then he needs to put a sign on her forehead or something." Deidara grumbled at the unresponsiveness of the unconscious kunoichi.

"Did you ever think to_ ask_ before blowing the shit out of someone?" Kisame retorted, rubbing his head in frustration as he set samehada down to lean against the wall before he really did run him through.

"This is just great. You're gonna pay when Itachi gets back. I should run you through but I refuse to give you a break from the beating Itachi's gonna give you. Is she alive?" He asked.

"Ish,yeah." Deidara replied with a crazy grin.

"Damn it. This is all your fault. Wipe that fucking smile off your face…and grab her feet Deidara. Keep her prone. We gotta keep her alive till Itachi gets here" Kisame said, lifting.

"Fuck…Why doesn't anybody ever tell me these things. It's not my fault Itachi's so damn secretive." He groaned as he grabbed her legs, while Kisame supported her hands.

"You'd think she'd be lighter, Uhn!" Deidara complained.

"Shut up, and keep moving!" Kisame growled.


	3. Deals with Devils

AN:

AN: Poor Sakura. Gets the crap beat out of her only to get blown up in the hallway. I promise she's not gonna be as D.I.D. that is damsel in distress like in the next few chapters.

"_The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made.__"_

_-Groucho Marx-_

Green eyes opened again and she found herself dizzy, nauseous even. She was getting god damned tired of blacking out already. As if she didn't have enough fucking head trauma without Akatsuki members adding to it. Her bad mood eased somewhat. She was alive after all of that. She was startled to find blood red eyes and dark hair above her.

"How do you feel?" his soft voice asked her, nail polished fingers checking her temperature.

"like Hell" She replied, as her situation hit her like a ton of bricks, throat dry, her head throbbing in ridiculous amounts of pain. This might just be the worst situation she'd ever been in.

"Don't move you'll open the head wound. You left without the Akatsuki robe and one of the members nearly killed you. You cracked your head. You might have a concussion."

"Water" She croaked, not able to keep him in focus.

He left, but returned with a cup, steadying it in her hands as he helped her to drink. His hands were calloused, but surprisingly gentle as they steadied her own.

"Oh gods it hurts…" Sakura choked, coughing water up and sniffling, tears springing from her eyes.

"Use your chakra to take care of the worst of it" Itachi replied.

"Can't…concentrate" She replied, whimpering in pain.

"Sakura, listen to me. I'm going to help you concentrate. Look into my eyes." Itachi's smooth voice beckoned her. But Sakura merely trembled, shivvering.

"Can't…trust…you" She murmured, the pain becoming unbearable as she tried to focus her chakra. She could feel the wetness on the back of her head again as the wound opened from her thrashing.

"You're going to have to, if you want to live. You've already lost a lot of blood" Itachi replied. Sakura knew her condition was horrible and if she didn't do something drastically soon she really would die. She had no other options left.

She met his gaze, green eyes desperate, but still defiant. He let the sharingan whirl, lulling her into the genjutsu. Her body relaxed not feeling the pain, detatched from it. She knew her body was still a wreck but she couldn't feel the pain.

"Heal yourself" Itachi's words came to her, echoed as she couldn't see him any longer. She was in the hospital in Konoha, the smells and sights so familiar that it brought tears to her eyes. Instantly she had access to her chakra, and applied healing measure to her body, clotting the blood and sealing the wound on her head. She rid the nausea from her body, quelling the horrible migraines and healing the damage she'd sustained. She was out of chakra and exhausted but the burns tingled.

"I…need poultice for the burns." She said, her body shivering. "I also need aspirin for the fever" she replied.

Itachi's nail polished hands gently massaged the poultice on her arms and legs, gently lifting them and wrapping them delicately. He was so gentle that it nearly brought tears to her eyes.

"Why are you doing this?" She murmured, unaware that her hands were on his cheeks as exhaustion and shock drained her of consciousness.

"Because it does not suit me that you die" He replied simply, and her hands dropped from his face. She was once again left to the blackness of unconsciousness to dream of Konoha and her precious people.

Her touch was cold, not a good sign, but her hands had regained warmth from her healing skills. Itachi was impressed. Other ninja would have been dead, after Deidara's charge that close ranged. She'd clung to life. Her healing skills had put her on the road to recovery. Itachi tucked her in the covers, doubling up on the blankets because of her fever, and with a single puff, lit the fire from across the room. He'd laced the poultice with pain relief which would soak into her skin allowing it to flow into her body for the fever as well.

She was fortunate Akatsuki kept such good poultices for wounds or she might not have lived through the night. Of course Akatsuki couldn't rely on medics. They had never recruited any and now he wondered why leader sama had never recruited one. They were handy and skilled. He'd had to unseal her "tattoo" so she could recover, but she would never know that being so lost in the genjutsu. He'd been able to put her in Konoha, the place of her childhood. He'd spent many times in the Konoha hospital in his Anbu days and had been able to recreate the illusion. Of course those were only the times where he was in critical condition he thought with a sneer. Medics meant you were weak to the Uchiha clan and more often than not he'd gone without the poultices and the chakra healings. Sighing he looked back to Sakura. She'd been able to heal her most pressing problems. It didn't matter that he'd taken off the seal, for it was resealed and so there was no problem. Sharingan eyes narrowed dangerously as he made his way quietly out of the room to let Sakura rest.

"Deidara san?" Itachi said, materializing out of nowhere as only the Uchiha could.

"Fuck. I didn't mean to-" Deidara scrambled as he realized who it was.

BAM

Deidara went flying into the brick wall with a sickening crunch, the clay forming in his hand already knocked away.

"Damn -Uhn!-

"He didn't have long to sit and process this new pain because he found himself bashed against the wall by Itachi who was now strangling him. His mouth on the palm of his hand was biting into Itachi's arm, and he had a kunai in the other, that was being blocked by Itachi's own. Deidara's hand wriggled against the pressure Itachi was applying. Damn it he wasn't a close range fighter, Yeah. Granted he was still above par than most other ninja but it certainly wasn't his fucking specialty or anything Uhn. Particularly not against the Uchiha bastard who could fucking do anything, Yeah. Of course the fact that he couldn't breathe and his eyesight was going from lack of oxygen didn't help.

"Do not touch her again" He said, emotionless sharingan eyes holding his blue ones.

"N-no…problem…Yeah." Deidara wrenched out, and hit the floor, finding himself alone.

Kisame, who had been in the kitchen walked out into the hallway.

"I wondered what the noise was. Glad to see you're still alive, oh effeminate one." Kisame said with a grin.

His middle finger answered Kisame, as Deidara got up, tongue sticking out of his palm. Kisame chuckled and made his way back to the kitchen, Deidara limpingly following, rubbing his neck mumbling strings of curses having to do with Uchiha and their anal retentive tendencies.

It had taken three days of rest. But Sakura opened her eyes and felt as good as new. Her sore muscles had long since healed themselves. Her cuts and pains had healed in that course of time, her chakra naturally responding to the needs of her body. Her head didn't throb, her vision was clear, and her fever had broken long before. The burns were healed she noticed startled at the potentcy of the poultice he'd put on her. He must have changed the bandages while she was sleeping. Sakura's eyes softened. Itachi wasn't anything like Sasuke had described which confused her. There was always some truth in a lie her mother had taught her. But why had he done all of this?

She realized, startled that she still had Itachi's ring on her thumb. She sighed and raked a hand through her hair and was horrified as flakes of blood came out of it. Grimacing and irritated once more she made her way to the damned dresser, opening it up and grabbing the cloak throwing it over her shoulders and grabbing clothes and stuffing them into her pack. She needed a shower something fierce, and it could not be put off any longer. Cracking the door, she scanned the area. With the small amount of chakra she was able to deduce that no one was in the nearby vicinity. Scrambling down the hall careful not to trip over the robe which was far too long for her, she managed to find the door to the bathroom.

She locked it, and turned breathing a sigh of relief.

"Uhn! Not you!"

Startled, Sakura turned around to see a half naked man, covered by a simple towel, blond hair dripping, blue eyes glaring at her. The man who had "blown" her up. The man who was standing dripping wet in a towel. Sakura blushed and averted her eyes. They had separate showers in Konoha and while she'd seen naked men in examination, being in the bathroom of the Akatsuki as opposed to her medical office, was a completely different experience entirely.

"Um..sorry?" she offered, clutching her pack and moving away from the door as she looked at the floor.

"It's Deidara. And you should be, Yeah. You gave me a heart attack in the hallway and I nearly got killed by the Uchiha bastard because you didn't duck. Uhn!" Deidara complained.

"You… don't like Itachi?" Sakura asked tilting her head, startled by how he talked. She ignored the duck comment, less inner sakura get out.

Sakura could have laughed at herself. Of course the Akatsuki members were human, they lived and breathed and ate and slept like any other ninja group. Somehow they had always seemed more…imposing than that. Their humanness had never crossed her mind as enemy nin she'd only thought about disposing of them. But she didn't think that would extend as far as personal grievances among each other. If they didn't like each other why were they an organization? Then she remembered Itachi's words

_We may be an organization, but we are individuals…_

"Why the hell should I? Uhn. Fucking arrogant, conceited, bastard." Deidara grumbled, slamming the door.

Sakura tucked that useful piece of information for later, locking the door as she looked around the bathroom. There was a sink, toilet and shower, as well as a huge tub. She assumed the tub was sized so that Kisame could use it which would be the only explanation for such a luxury among S class criminals. Although, if they all lived in rooms such as hers, they must enjoy luxury. Sakura nearly laughed at the absurdity of her own naivety. The Akatsuki were human and liked nice things like any one else did. She examined each of the features in the bathroom startled; they all looked relatively clean. The men of Konoha were slobs with everything, from their shabby apartments to the bathrooms. She was pleasantly pleased to find cleanliness even if it was among S Class criminals.

She turned on the shower, allowing it to get hot as she stripped down. She had scars from the branches, and probably at the base of her skull, but nothing that wouldn't heal soon and disappear. She was pleasantly pleased with how much she'd survived thus far. It was sobering, reminding her of her humanity, but also of her resilience. She looked briefly at the scar for chiyobaa-san and smiled briefly. She sifted through her pack and brought out her special shampoos and soaps. She was alive in the midst of Akatsuki. She felt that was reason enough to celebrate. And it wasn't like she could hide her signature among the Akatsuki members, so there wasn't any point in being subtle.

As Anbu she'd always had to use unscented things to keep enemy nin from detecting her. They'd never been good for her hair, and while Sakura had become a hardened warrior, she also still loved to wear dresses. Ino for her birthday had bought her a cherry set she could take with her on the road while she traveled. So when she wanted to smell nice she could. She'd made the stuff herself apparently, a side part of the flower shop and poisons the Yamanaka's made, and had made Sakura a sniff proof case. Apparently Ino had even tried the case with Kiba and his sensitive nose and he'd said it worked. It was a precious gift and even now Sakura cherished it as she soaped herself down and scrubbed the blood out of her hair. It had been a long time since she'd had to wash this much blood out of her hair and off her body. Of course it had never been this much of her own. Some of it was Itachi's and she couldn't help but smirk. She may have lost but not without a good fight. She sighed. She'd lost, proving how much further she had to go, but she was still alive and that consoled her just a little bit. Not very many people lived after encountering Akatsuki and she supposed she should count her blessings.

Why had they let her live? Why weren't they torturing her for information? Sakura didn't understand it. She scrubbed the shampoo and then conditioner into her hair, after being convinced she'd gotten all the dried blood flakes out. Itachi wasn't the kind to keep her alive without good reason. But what would that reason be. He didn't give a damn about Sasuke's death. Gods that was so weird, though not as weird as it should have been. It shouldn't have even been weird. Tragic was the word for it. And yet Sakura wasn't there. Sasuke had been gone for so long now. They'd run into him a few times, but each time had been a failure to retrieve him. It had dampened her hopes of him ever returning. Naruto could never fulfill his promise to her now. He was gone and Sakura should have felt remorse or something significant in regards to grief.

Oh it hurt. To be assured it was a pain she carried with her and would continue to carry with her now and always. But then again she had always carried the grief of him leaving with her. Now it was simply more permanent. It was so surreal. He was really gone forever and she simply hadn't dealt with it. Feeling the tears she let it out, burying her face under the show head, the water masking her tears as she stifled her sobs. Wiping her face with the water, she stopped her tears. He was gone, but it wasn't anything she hadn't lived with before now. She still had Naruto and Kakashi and even the emotionless Sai. She had Tsunade and Ino and the rest of the rookie teams who had grown up and were doing incredible things. She had done something with her life and made something of her self. People loved her and needed her. Though she grieved, she would live for her precious people.

She stepped out of the shower, feeling better or atleast optimistic about her situation. She could find out things about them, do some good in spite of her failure. Naruto would come looking for her, Kakashi and Sai and whomever else they could bring. She had faith in them. She found the towels in a cupboard hanging on the tile. She giggled as she thought about the Akatsuki using tiled bathrooms. She towel dried her hair, and changed into the clothes she'd grabbed from the dresser. She slipped on the black shorts so much like her own she wore under her medic skirt. She wrapped her chest in the bindings and put the fishnet top over it. It was long sleeved and felt odd in comparison to her normally sleeveless vest. Of course here…wherever here was… it felt too cold for that.

The black shirt left over turned out to be a simple tanktop and though it wouldn't keep her terribly warm it was all she could do. She looked at the tub, and decided that she would do laundry while she was here. She filled up the tub, washing her Anbu uniform to the best of her ability and her typical top, shorts and skirt. She heard someone banging on the door.

"OYE! Unless you're passing a child, hurry it up!" The voice growled.

Sakura grabbed her laundry, though still wet, and shoved it in her pack. She threw the cloak over her shoulders and shoved her feet into her boots. Maybe she could pretend to be a new recruit or something. Shyea…like that would work. With a huff she opened the door and was surprised to see the shark like partner of Itachi glared menacingly down at her. His glare turned to a smile of sharp teeth.

"Kunoichi you look better as a pink haired nin than a red one" He snickered at his own joke.

Sakura's eyes narrowed. He was poking fun at her getting blown up and the bloody mess that had been. Green eyes flickered down the hallway. The blood was gone, but the black marks were still upon the brick as well as a cracked area.

"Next time don't take so long. As Akatsuki I should kill you for the insult, but since you look so nice in our garb, I'll make an exception this time." He snickered as he brushed past her.

Sakura rolled her eyes, but made no further comment as she did not want to irritate the shark Akatsuki member into a fight. She had no chakra, damn Itachi…Don't loose focus when an enemies so close. She realized Kisame had carried his sword, Samehada, if the files she'd read were correct, into the bathroom with him. Odd…then again, she couldn't blame him as she would carry her weapons with her everywhere. One could never bee too careful and if the Akatsuki members were as hostile towards each other as they all let on then there would be just cause for always being armed. Speaking of Akatsuki members, Sakura shook her head at her thoughtlessness and wandered back to her rooms carefully looking for others. She closed the door, satisfied. She ran her fingers through her hair removing the tangles.

Her stomach growled and she was reminded of how fiercely hungry she was. With all the healing she'd done her body was famished and wiped from the exertion. She glanced at the hearth. There were more logs to the left and something appeared to be stewing over it. The bowl of fruit was still there as well as a plate, a spoon and a bowl. The pitcher must have been refilled, but the wine still sat. Sakura grabbed the bowl and walked over to the pot running her chakra over it. Not poisoned…and it smelled delicious. Desperation driven, she grabbed the serving spoon that had been left above the hearth and dished the meat stew into her bowl. She grabbed the bowl, balancing her bowl of stew and set it down on the table.

"Itadakimasu" She murmured, missing the familiar echo she typically heard from Naruto, Kakashi and Sai.

She ate heartily of the stew, finishing off what was left in the pot as well as consuming most of the fruit in the bowl. She'd drank the wine, and had her fill of the water feeling infinitely ten times better than she had now that she was clean, nourished, rested and refreshed. She heard the knock on her door and rose to her feet, grabbing the spoon. She could still launch it at her offender if need be to do some harm. She realized that whoever was outside was waiting for her to invite them in. She bit her lip, thinking. She was getting no where with this whole waiting thing and the knock came again.

"Come in" She replied hesitantly. Her grip on the spoon tightened.

Itachi opened the door.

"You look rested." He said simply, and walked towards her. She darted back crouching, spoon in hand.

"Planning on using a spoon against me?" He said, emotionless, eyebrow slightly raised. She supposed it was his attempt at humor. All Uchiha however seemed to be severely lacking in it.

"Why am I here?" She said, keeping her distance, green eyes locked on his.

"May I sit?" Itachi asked, politely. His politeness confused her as did his kindness. He sighed.

"I mean you no harm for the moment, Sakura" He said simply.

"I can't trust you." Sakura replied grip on the spoon tightening.

"You have my word as an Uchiha" He said, red eyes looking at her in pity.

"That means nothing to you" She retorted, jade eyes narrowing.

"But it has meaning for you." He said simply and took a seat.

Sakura flinched. He was taking her so lightly. She threw the spoon at him and he caught it between two discolored fingers. She noticed his hand was purple and blackened and yet he still twirled the spoon with expertise. It was the hand she'd broke in their fight. Apparently he hadn't healed it. Waves of guilt washed over her. She couldn't trust him… but he'd saved her life at least twice now when he could have killed her or left her to die. He'd been kind to her, and while that startled her, and brought her suspicion up, she was honor bound to return the favor. Anger forgotten as her medical nature took precedence she was next to him in a flash, examining the hand delicately. He didn't move, simply regarded her intently with his sharingan eyes. The look burned her and she fought the desire to blush under such intense scrutiny.

"Remove the seal and I'll heal it" Sakura said, gambling.

"You have enough chakra to do it, should you so choose Kunoichi, but you do realize you would be betraying your village by doing so?" He said.

She bit her lip, ignoring him as she thought of Tsunade. What would she do? _She wouldn't have been caught up in this mess in the first place remember?_ Inner Sakura said with a scowl.

"It's Sakura." She said ignoring his comment as she made her decision, taking his hand delicately in hers, using her chakra to set the bones and heal the fingers. A brief emotion flickered across his eyes and she stopped as she held the hand.

"Did I hurt you?" she asked, all professionalism in the moment. Itachi nearly smirked at her concern. One moment she was furious and the next completely serious and intent.

"No…it's just been a while since I've been exposed to a medic." Itachi replied, the expression on his face wary and…odd. Not an expression she would have pictured on an Uchiha. Then again he was everything she'd never thought him to be thus far, why should now be any different?

"Oh…you mean the intermingling of chakra within your coils?" Sakura said, smiling, recognizing the issue the konoha kids she dealt with usually had in healing sessions. _It tickles_ they would complain. The thought brought a genuine smile to her face. She realized with a flush that she was still holding his hand, and the healing wasn't done yet. Ignoring the burning gaze she felt on her, and fighting off the shiver she felt whenever those eyes were intent on her, she turned so he couldn't see her expression. Her rose pink hair blocked her expressions from those all knowing eyes. She took his hand up again and finished the job making a satisfying hmm as she released his hand, professionalism back as the color matched the rest of his skin. He had calloused rough hands, the hands of an elite ninja, that had trained hard and worked. The kind that specialized in dealing death. She briefly remembered the gentleness of that touch as he'd applied the poultice.

"I was wondering if I could look at the poultice you had for the burns." Sakura commented.

Itachi apparently hadn't heard her as he flexed his hand, eyes gleaming with satisfaction though his face betrayed nothing.

"Thank you for this" He replied sincerely. "You were saying?"

Lost in those mesmerizing eyes that looked so much like Sasuke's Sakura had lost her thought for a moment.

"Uh, the poultice?" She blurted quickly.

"Yes. I'll bring the jar for you later. Are you finding everything adequate to your needs?" Itachi asked.

"I don't understand this?" Sakura said irritated at the near comradery of their tone with one another. Irritated at the lack of definition in any of it.

"Why are you being kind? Why am I being treated like a guest? What the hell do you want from me?" She cried, chucking the pitcher to the floor in her anger.

It crashed, the remaining water spilling on the rug. Sakura took a deep breathe, but her anger didn't dissipate. It was high past time he was honest with her, or told her something about what was going on. She demanded an explanation at this point.

Itachi sighed and made his way to the fire, placing a log on and using the Uchiha jutsu to light it.

"Don't ignore me" Sakura said, glaring at him, thoroughly irritated at this point.

"I wasn't ignoring you, simply making the atmosphere more comfortable" Itachi replied, using a jutsu to levitate the broken pieces and fragments. With a release seal they shattered into dust, which he blew into the fireplace. That kind of unfettered display of power was purposeful as he fixed those red eyes on her.

"Uchiha Itachi; one who hates the cold and cleans up messes. Well?" She said sarcastically, unimpressed. She'd trained under Tsunade, seen Jiraiya and his summons, seen Kakashi and his display of copying skills, seen Naruto and his legion of clones. Hell she'd seen Sai draw things straight out of children's bed time stories. He wasn't going to intimidate her by jutsu.

Itachi took a seat again. "We both want the same things" he told her simply folding his hands and resting his chin on them.

"Like hell we do. You want world domination" She retorted with a snort as she kicked her feet up on the table. Her pose clearly struck the uninterested and rebellious cliché.

_Who the hell does he think we are? Shannaro! _Inner Sakura resounded with gusto

Itachi sighed. "We both want to know who murdered Sasuke and why. Though we may come from different philosophical ideals, we both desire to avenge him. You thought it was me, and attacked me in the forest and I responded in turn." Itachi said.

"You're telling that _you_, the man who murdered nearly his _entire_ clan, care about your dead brother?" Sakura said laughter entering her tone.

His eyes narrowed a fraction of an inch. Mocking him was going a tad bit too far.

"Did you ever wonder why I kept him alive?" Itachi interjected, eyes looking at her directly. She looked away from that heated gaze.

The truth was she had wondered why. She had agonized over it in her youth, not understanding. It was the question she probably would've asked Kami sama if he'd allowed her one answered question in her youth. But certainly it couldn't be because he cared? To kill everyone and leave a single brother alive didn't make sense and didn't fit with Itachi's moves thus far. She couldn't believe that.

"There's something you're not telling me" Sakura said. She was smart and intuitive. A trait Itachi appreciated, but made their situation far more difficult in the long run..atleast for him.

"You will find that will always be the case, Sakura. My counsel is my own." He said simply.

"What are you proposing then, Itachi? Why do you need me, because certainly that's the only reason you're keeping me alive." Sakura asked.

She was curious. Perhaps she could use him to help figure out who killed Sasuke, then she would be able to kill his actually avenger, take out Itachi and finally have accomplished what Sasuke would have wanted in his lifetime. The thoughts were certainly there to entertain.

"You give me so little credit. What I'm proposing is that you help me and I will help you." Itachi said with a sigh.

"What are you asking of me?" Sakura said, eyes searching his.

"A partnership." Itachi said simply. "But it will require you going missing for a while, though at this point I don't think that's a problem." Itachi said eyeing her.

"I need details, Itachi. I'm not stupid. I'm not going to just agree to anything you have to say." Sakura replied crossing her arms over her chest.

"Our problem is that we don't know how Sasuke died." Itachi pointed out.

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "Our?"

"Contingent, of course, on your approval" He said smoothly.

"I know you have more plans than that." Sakura retorted.

"Regardless of any plans, we must go to Konoha to solve the problem." Itachi said.

Sakura's eyes widened. "You? In Konoha?" She nearly squeaked her tone shrill. Itachi winced, irritated by her emotional state. Her emotions were all over the place and he never knew where she would be next.

"Yes. Because we need to find out what happened." Itachi said with a shrug.

Sakura's mouth was ajar. He made it seem like walking into Konoha with him was a frickin walk in the park. Like some kind of D rank mission.

"So you're suggesting that I just walk up after disappearing for a week and a half and ask Tsunade what happened to Sasuke with you in tow?" Sakura said, eying him.

Itachi sighed rubbing his temples. Patience…

"I'm suggesting you write this dispatch," He said, paper appearing between his two fingers. He launched it, the paper landing in front of her. She sighed and undid the seal.

"This would explain my absence." She said skimming it.

"Not just your absence but your return." Itachi replied. "We would go to Konoha and do some research."

"There's this _we_ thing again. Research?" Sakura asked, pink eye brow arching.

"Undoubtedly they have already performed the autopsy and the ceremony. The real question is can we trust the hokage not to conceal that information about his death?" Itachi asked appealing to her.

Sakura bit her lip. He was already assuming she was in on this, which frustrated her immensely. But wasn't she? She'd left Konoha with the intent of finding and killing Sasuke's murderer. She would be a missing nin already technically unless she wrote that dispatch which would require that she cooperate with Itachi. It was the only way. She was making deals with devils by even entertaining this; probably breaking more Konoha laws than she ever had in her entire life.

But this was Uchiha Itachi. He had resources and spying networks far beyond anything Konoha would ever have simply because he was acquainted with the underworld of ninja and spies. He had dirty connection Sakura couldn't access or reach and he knew how to work the system. He could and would get to the truth of the situation with or without her. He would take out whoever it was who had fought and killed his little brother. His motivation was still questionable, probably an issue of pride, or whatever the reason was. His motivation was a huge factor. The reason for his avenging nature she still didn't know and more importantly wouldn't know if she didn't agree to this. He would be useful to her in this endeavor. The fact that he was a super elite ninja, previous Anbu at the mere age of thirteen, was also a spiffy perk to the whole idea. Between the two of them they could get to the bottom of this with his connections and her own in Konoha. Deals with devils…her head spun. Did these kinds of things ever turn out well?

"I realize you don't trust me Sakura, but we both have the same goal in this single instance. Whoever murdered my brother will pay, and should pay rightly by both our hands" Itachi said, sharingan intent and serious.

"…" Sakura sat lost in thought as she contemplated. If she accepted she would be in league with an s class criminal. On the brighter side she would also have the help of said S class criminal. If she declined the offer he would probably do it anyways, invade Konoha, break numerous laws, and generally cause havoc in order to figure out the information and she still didn't and wouldn't know why. She couldn't let that happen. She had to figure out what was driving Itachi and why. If she accepted she could protect Konoha and her precious people and possibly avenge Sasuke in the process. _Deals with devils_ she sighed.

"Do we have a deal or not, Sakura?" He asked her, red eyes intent.

"…Yes…" She replied sealing her fate.


	4. Trust

AN: I wanted you all to see the dispatch

AN: I wanted you all to see the dispatch. It's nothing fancy but will explain Sakura's predicament. I wanted to add some spunk to Sakura in this chapter. She doesn't seem the type to simply take being a captive well. So there certainly is some interpretation here, but hopefully true to the character.

PS. I would love whoever would show me how to insert the lines in my story to break up the perspectives. Thanks

"_Only trust thyself and another shall not betray thee"-William Penn-_

_Tsunade Shishio, _

_I'm sorry. I had to get away. I had to go, to be anywhere but Konoha. I picked up the trail of Fukutachi Chou and I plan on taking him down while I'm out here, as to be useful for Konoha. It should be no more than two weeks till I'm home again. I hope the ceremony went well and I'm sorry I couldn't be there. Please give my love to Naruto, Kakashi, and Sai and let them know I'm alright, I just needed to be alone for a while.._

_I miss you all_

_-Sakura-_

Sakura sighed as she rolled out of bed running her fingers through her hair as she yawned. After agreeing to partner with Itachi last night, the Uchiha went off claiming he had his own preparations to make. _Deals with devils_, Sakura thought with a shake of her head. Sakura had spent the rest of her time in the evening flipping through the scrolls and books they'd provided her, taking notes, figuring she might as well make herself useful while she was in the situation she was. The Akatsuki had an extensive set of books, some of them very rare indeed. After she'd skimmed several books and taken enough notes on things she'd found credible, she'd decided to sleep. She would need her rest for what they were going to do.

Now having woken up from a good nights sleep, she was ready for the day. She grabbed her things stuffing them in her pack, throwing the Akatsuki cloak over her shoulder and made her way down the hall to the bathroom. It was earlier than she'd woken up before but she still couldn't sense anyone with her limited chakra. She showered using her scentless set. Today they would be setting out to kill one Fukutachi Chou and the scent of cherries would be a dead give away.

She hopped out of the shower, drying her self off and towel drying her hair. Sakura still had no idea where they were, but she would when she and Itachi left, another thing to store away for Konoha's use. With all of the foreign problems leaf nin had been having, she couldn't wear the anbu outfit or the haruno clan outfit. Both blatantly marked her from Konohagakure. She wouldn't even be able to wear her hitai ate. She put on the spare clothes she'd been given from Itachi, the black shirt with fishnet under it and black shorts. They were a perfect fit, and looked good on her a fact that disturbed Sakura.

It surprised her now that she'd thought of it. Itachi had known her exact size, the clothes not too big and not too small. She supposed he could have figured out her size from the pack, but aside from a normal brush over for weapons her pack hadn't looked touched. Then again it was Uchiha Itachi. The man was a prodigy and could probably have sorted through it and put everything back without her notice. She wasn't sure which thought disturbed her more. She didn't have time for this.

The boots were an added comfort as she slipped them on. Sakura hated the Anbu sandals after tromping around so long in her boots. She didn't know how she'd done it in her youth. The sandals got hot and sweaty, sometimes hampering her grip and they certainly didn't protect her toes. She sighed as she looked at the Akatsuki cloak. It was certainly warm and kept her from being chilled in the hallways, but she loathed the idea of wearing it. It had represented everything she had hated for so long. Of course now she was practically joining forces with them. Irritated, she flung it over her shoulders carelessly pack in hand, having everything she needed.

Her hand toyed with the ring Itachi had left in the dresser. She didn't want to keep it. Despite her original thoughts, she didn't know what the ring was for, or capable of. She certainly couldn't underestimate Itachi, but keeping it did her little good. Sighing she made her way out of the bathroom. Her stomach growled reminding her of her humanity in that moment. Itachi had said the kitchen was down the hall. She set her things in her room and made her way to the kitchen.

She could hear noise from the hallway and entered cautiously.

"You again Uhn." Deidara complained. It smelt like he was burning whatever he was cooking. Sakura's pink eyes brows knit together as she eyed whatever it was he was cooking.

"Need some help there?" Sakura asked, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she watched the man hopelessly try to save the burnt and overly crunchy fillet.

"No, Yeah." He replied, glaring at her.

"DEIDARA SENPAI!" a new voice cried.

"TOBI! Ugh…You made me burn the food UHN!" Deidara cried, chucking the pan in the sink and turning, just about to launch one of his clay creations at the orange masked Akatsuki member.

"Noo Senpai! Tobi is a good boy!" Tobi cried, ducking.

"If you'd like I can make something" Sakura said, stepping between them, lighting placing a hand on top of the hand forming the clay as she smiled at Deidara. She smiled becomingly, green eyes catching his blue one. _The seduction classes had paid off even if they were a pain, _she thought, as she saw his expression change. _Seduction classes be damned, he's HOT! _Inner Sakura hooted. Sakura nearly blushed at the thought.

Deidara took one last glare at Tobi and sighed.

"Couldn't be worse than Kisame's cooking" He grumbled, taking a seat at the table with a huff.

"I heard that, twit." Kisame's voice echoed from the hallway. The tall shark man came in, Samehada slung over one shoulder and eyed Tobi as the orange masked Akatsuki member was sitting in his larger chair.

"Oye!" Kisame said, but still Tobi was babbling about something unaware. Kisame kicked Tobi through the space between the back rest and the seat.

The kick went straight through Tobi, and Sakura blinked, startled.

"Tobi is a good dodger" He beamed as he was in the other chair to the right of Deidara before Sakura could blink.

"Stop moving around and Just shut up already Tobi, Uhn." Deidara grumbled, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Hai Deidara Senpai" Tobi saluted as he jumped up on the table in his eagerness, knocking over Deidara's coffee cup and nearly scalding the blonde haired Akatsuki member.

"God damn it Tobi! Uhn!" Deidara groaned smacking a hand to his forehead. "I swear I'm going to kill him, Yeah." He said offhandedly to Kisame.

"Leader sama would never let you. But I'll tell you what, twit, I wouldn't trade you partners for the world." Kisame said, sharp teeth displayed in a toothy grin for the bomb artist to see.

"Shut up, Uhn. You might have to, from what I hear." Deidara smirked, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Oh?" Kisame replied, eyebrow arched as he grabbed the coffee pot pouring himself some coffee.

"Apparently Itachi is partners with the weak little Kunoichi, from what I heard" Deidara pointed at Sakura. "Though how she's managed to get into Akatsuki, I guess we'll never know"

Green eyes narrowed as she met the blue eyed blonde, about to hotly retort when Kisame interrupted.

"You mean overheard, you spastic blonde haired twit. You might want to get your facts straight first ahou." Kisame replied, glaring.

Deidara stuck all 3 of his tongues out at the shark man. "Just because you're too much of a dolt to pay attention-" Deidara started

"You're a fucking idiot. She's not one of us Blondie. You'd best take back that comment though. That 'weak' Kunoichi nearly had Itachi during their fight." Kisame replied, grinning at Sakura.

"Really, Yeah?" Deidara's eye gleamed. "How'd you do it..uh.."

"Sakura. Haruno Sakura. Apprentice to one of the Sannin, Tsunade, currently hokage of Konoha. I'm also an Anbu Captain." She replied spitefully as she tied an apron she found on, looking through the iced storage closet. It seemed they had plenty of food. She pulled out the eggs and bacon. Closing the door she looked around and found the pantry. She glanced into it and smiled finding what she was looking for. She grabbed the potatoes she found and searched through the doors making a satisfied noise as she found the sized knife she wanted and began peeling them. She sneaked a knife into her boots, the folds of the apron covering it, as the two bickered.

"Sakura then, Yeah. Don't leave us in suspense!" Deidara said, blue eye eager as he watched her.

"Let her be useful. If I have to eat another burned concoction I might kill something" he said, Samehada in hand.

Deidara rolled his eyes and began molding his clay into little ants.

"You blow those up in here again and Leader sama will really beat the shit out of you. You're lucky no one was alerted or killed…no offense meant kunoichi- "Kisame told her with a grin to which she replied "None taken. It's Sakura."

"It's not my fault Itachi doesn't put nametags on his strays, No offense Sakura."

"None take- Hey wait Itachi has-" Sakura started to ask but was interrupted.

"Speaking of the Uchiha bastard, I wanna hear about the fight, Yeah." Deidara said, glaring at Tobi, and smacking him as he tried to poke the ants.

Sakura had found the grater and began to grate the potatoes into the cast iron skillet she'd found. Atleast they had decent cooking wear. Sakura was surprised at how well stoked their kitchen was. They had to get this fresh produce from somewhere. They had enough food but it couldn't last that long between their members. It was improbable that this was their headquarters, otherwise she might have encountered this "leader sama" they referred to. But if that was the case how did they communicate?

"It was nothing much-" Sakura began.

"The little Kunoichi-" Kisam interjected. "Sakura" Sakura reminded him before he continued. "nearly outsmarted him too. Apparently Konoha nin now have these nasty little senbon packages that explode on contact. She went after him with twin swords, landing some nice cuts and-"

"Exploding packages? Senbon? How lame." Deidara replied.

"Lame?" Sakura retorted, as she'd finished with the potatoes. "I spent hours with my team perfecting the jutsu to seal those. They're the most effective exploding packaged weapons out there"

"The most effective that someone of _your_ quality could create, Yeah."

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Sakura huffed, hotly. Chakra glowed off of her gloved fists.

"It means, what I said" Deidara replied. "You leaf nin don't understand. The explosion itself is the art, Yeah. You perverted the whole artistic expression of it." He replied.

"Don't mind him, Sakura chan, he's a bit of an art snob when it comes to blowing things up."

"I noticed" Sakura replied stiffly.

"Oye" Deidara objected.

"Yeah, I was on the receiving end of your artistic expression." Sakura said, eyes narrowed.

"That _so_ wasn't my fault, Yeah" Deidara retorted.

"Because you can't make your clay explode right?" Sakura retorted sarcastically. Gentlemen, a little help here?" Sakura said, looking at the empty hole where the fire usually was.

"I've got it" Deidara grumbled. "and by the way bubblegum hair, there's no gentlemen here. If you're really the Hokage's apprentice and Anbu then I can't believe you let him seal your Chakra." Deidara taunted.

"As if the kunoichi could have done anything about it, she was imprisoned and genjutsu-ed before she knew what hit her. You talk like _you_ managed to do anything against his genjutsu" Kisame countered for her.

"So you package senbon-ed the Uchiha bastard before he knew what hit him? How inelegant, Yeah. KATSU!" Deidara said, ignoring Kisame as he launching one of the clay ants into the pit.

Sakura tried to stop him but it was too late. The explosion resounded in the hallways, and the fire died down. Sakura coughed, protecting the potatoes as she backed away.

"You fucking idiot" Kisame said, picking the blonde haired man up by the neck of his cloak and tossing him aside. "She meant with chakra" He said, fingers passing over the empty hole in the counter top. His chakra glowed blue in the hole, hot enough to cook them.

"Thank you Kisame" Sakura said.

"No problem Kunoichi" he replied, toothed grin as he towered over her.

"Really, it's just Sakura." She replied, smiling back unsure of how to respond.

If anyone had asked her what she would have imagined the Akatsuki to be like, it certainly wouldn't have been anything like this. Particularly, not as a captive. Everything about her situation was so wrong it was amusing. Here she was an enemy nin, making breakfast for her captors, who were arguing in front of her as if it was all common place and normal. She chuckled as she cooked the potatoes. Those two could have easily been exchanged with Naruto and Sai, Sakura having experienced the same kinds of interaction among her own team. Of course usually different terms were thrown about, like dickless, but still. The Akatsuki could've been a regular ninja team, her ninja team with the interaction she'd seen in the kitchen. She chuckled until she realized the ramifications of her thoughts. It was startling and frightening to her. The laughter faded and her smile left almost as quickly as it had come. These were enemies. Thye had killed and murdered people, dear people Sakura had come to love. She had to find out more about them.

"So Deidara san. Where are..err.. were you from?" Sakura asked, as she stirred the frying potatoes.

Deidara hadn't missed the subtle changes on her face. He was an artist and a ninja wth an eye for detail. Who did this little bubblegum headed kunoichi think he was? He knew when he was being lugged for information. He grabbed his empty cup that Tobi had spilt earlier, refilling it.

"Where do you think, Yeah. You've probably read all the files" Deidara replied, blue eye challenging.

Sakura sighed. "I'm just trying to start a conversation" She shrugged.

The Potatoes were done and she put that skillet aside, reaching for another one for the eggs. She would cook the eggs and bacon in one tray like her mother did. It added to the flavor of both. The sizzle of them both kept her occupied and nonchalant.

"Sure you are, Yeah. TOBI! NO! UHN" Deidara yelled as Tobi tried to grab his coffee cup.

"But Tobi wants coffee too! Tobi has been a good boy!" Tobi complained. Kisame watched the interplay between the two with laughter.

"Shut up Kisame! Uhn! No Tobi!" Deidara ordered, as the coffee nearly spilt from the mug again. Furious at this point Deidara glared at his partner, pointing his black finger nail polished finger to Tobi's chair in the corner. Tobi sniffled, defeated and took a seat. Deidara ignored it as he sipped his coffee, eyes still narrowed.

"I've always wondered. What's with the finger polish?" Sakura said, a hint of a smirk on her lips.

"Fuck you, Yeah." Deidara replied flipping the bird at her.

Sakura's eyes narrowed. Oh how she wished her Chakra wasn't sealed right now. She still had enough to do some damage. She weighed the odds. It would be worth it. She lifted the knife and he barely saw it out of the corner of his eye as she launched herself forward. Deidara, moved, lightning fast as his kunai blocked the knife she held. With a fierce grin, she overturned and parried and move, booted leg, chakra enhanced, striking his leg, forcing him into a crouch. She handstanded over him, slashing at the back of his Akatsuki coat, aiming for his kidneys before he had turned, launching his kunai at her. She blocked mid leapt, jade eyes flashing, as she now held both knife and kunai. He had other weapons, and she stored the kunai quickly, blocking the shuriken with the knife as Tobi cried out in joy, and Kisame ducked with a curse.

"Shit" Kisame muttered as he grabbed Samehada out of the way of their close range fight, watching with interest to see what the little kunoichi could do. He would interfere in a moment.

He had lightning quick reflexes and came after her immediately following the shuriken he'd launched. She bit the handle of the knife, holding it in her mouth as she used Taijutsu to block the kunai coming towards her, using the knife and her angling to slash his face. Snarling in rage, he got a good hold on her shoulder, using another Taijutsu move to launch her into the wall away from the table. He launched himself forward, and threw the smoke pellets, masking the movement of his hands. Smoke pellets, though they caused tears to form in her eyes couldn't fool Sakura, as she knew he was creating a bomb to launch. She'd have to incapacitate him with her knife before he could launch it.

A flash filled the room, having nothing to do with Deidara's bomb, and Sakura blinked her eyes to clear them of the dots that danced across her vision.

"I thought we'd discussed this, Deidara san?" Itachi said, voice soft, but hard as his hand held Deidara's in a complicated Taijutsu lock, stopping Deidara from striking with his clay.

She turned her gaze from Deidara mere strides in front of her, startled as she looked at him. Itachi stood resplendent as always in his Akatsuki robe. Red Sharingan eyes ignored her, however staring straight at Deidara. Sakura looked down at her hand and realized that she no longer had her knife. The kunai she'd also snagged was missing as well. Green eyes shot accusing the Sharingan user. He didn't acknowledge her however.

"Itachi senpai!" Tobi greeted arms waving enthusiastically.

"Fuck you too, Yeah, Itachi." Deidara replied, glaring at him, as he broke the hold, wiping the blood off his cheek, as he brushed past he Uchiha and sat angrily in the chair.

Itachi's eyes narrowed. Deidara drank his coffee, refusing to meet the icy glare.

Kisame shook his head. "Orders?" He asked with a toothy grin. He took a sip of his own coffee as he read through what looked like dispatches.

"Don't think you are blameless in this, Kisame. She shouldn't have been able to get _this_ if you'd been watching her closely enough." He said slamming the knife between Kisame's fingers. Kisame's silver eyes met Itachi's some unknown meaning shared between them. He sighed, and took the knife and used it to open the papers.

Sakura's eyes were on the dispatches Kisame had. He must have pulled them from his Akatsuki coat. Sakura finished with the eggs and bacon.

"Food's ready" She said with a smile. "Where are the plates?"

Itachi ignored her, merely motioning to Kisame. Kisame sighed, leaving the papers and the knife, setting his coffee mug down. "

They're over here, Sakura" He said, opening a cabinet and grabbing them.

He placed them on the counter and returned to his seat. Sakura glared, irritated that he'd left her to serve the plates himself, but realized she could use it to her advantage. It would allow her to get close to the dispatches and so she couldn't be too angry. Kisame grabbed the silverware, while she served up the plates, filling them. She grabbed the food laden plates and balanced the five of them as she'd seen the civilian servers in Konoha do. She placed them in front of each Akatsuki member, her eyes glancing towards the dispatches. The one he was reading looked like it was from rain, but she couldn't make out the writing.

"Kisame, you're being rude to our _guest._" Itachi informed, him red eyes intent on Sakura. She ignored the gaze, though she felt it on her, like a hot gust of wind or a physical touch. To her utter frustration Kisame caught on and placed the dispatches back within the folds of his coat. She set plates in front of Tobi and Deidara, and finally had the last one for herself.

"Thanks Kunoichi" Kisame said, as he wolfed down his plate.

"Yeah." Deidara said, following suit.

"Tobi likes Sakura senpai!" Tobi said playing with his food as opposed to eating it with gusto as the others had.

"Itadakimasu?" She said a bit disgruntled by their breakfast eating habits. She lifted the forkful of fried potatoes to her mouth.

"Thank you Sakura" Itachi's smooth voice said, red eyes watching her. Sakura flushed and nodded, as she chewed. Why was it when his eyes were on her she felt like she was near a fire? She wondered sullenly. _He probably does it on purpose _Inner Sakura grumbled.

"I forgot to mention…Leader sama has a mission for you, Deidara." Itachi said, handing him the dispatch Sakura had re wrote last night.

"What? Why do I have to go,Yeah?" Deidara said reading whatever it was, "Leader-sama" had written to him. Sakura's eyes narrowed. Who was their leader? If she could figure out the identity she would be able to help Konoha.

"Because you are the fool who nearly alerted every nin hunting, of our presence here, not once, but twice." Itachi replied.

Deidara's eyes narrowed. "Someday you'll go too far Itachi." He said, storming out, letter in hand as he tucked it into his sleeves.

"Deidara senpai? Do we have a mission?" Tobi asked, getting up and following him.

"No Uhn. I have a mission, Tobi" Deidara replied, his voice growing faint the further he traveled down the hall.

"We have a mission. Yae!" Tobi cried.

"UHN!" Deidara's groan of frustration was the last thing Sakura could hear as some sort of door slammed.

Kisame chuckled.

"Guess that means Leader sama probably has something for me too while you're detained elsewhere?" Kisame said making eyes at Sakura.

Sakura frowned at the gesture. Itachi merely nodded and handed him another dispatch and Kisame took it.

"Guess I'll go read these in my room since we have company" Kisame said with a knowing look at Sakura.

She ignored the look coolly, intent on her food. She and Itachi were alone and she could feel him watching her. The silence was growing more awkward by the moment, the only sound was the slight scraping against the plates as they both ate their breakfast. Irritated but refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing it, she broke the silence first and brought up a different subject.

"So when are we going after Fukutachi Chou?" She asked.

"Tomorrow. He will be in the vicinity then." Itachi replied, his attention focused on dispatches he'd probably pulled out when she hadn't been watching.

"How do you know this?" She asked green eyes suspicious.

"Would you reveal the sources you had, were I in Konoha, Sakura?" Itachi retorted, sharingan eyes narrowed a fraction.

"If this is a partnership Itachi, then you're going to have to learn to Trust me" Sakura stated, green eyes searching his sharingan eyes.

"If that is your expectation, Sakura, then I'm afraid you are going to be sadly disappointed." Itachi replied eyeing her with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"I don't have to do this-"She started.

"Save your breath." He snapped, interrupting her. "You need this because it's the only way to discover what happened to my brother. You are a convenience in my plans, not a contingent. Nothing more." Itachi finished, taking a sip of his coffee.

Sakura was quivering, practically trembling in rage. "How dare you! A contingent? If I backed out now-"

"How quaint. You naively assume you _have_ the option of backing out as a prisoner." Itachi reminded her, tone darkening.

Sakura's eyes narrowed as her hands slammed down on the table, rising as she glared at him. "Who would stop me? Deidara certainly wouldn't." Sakura snapped, back. Jade met blood red sharingan without blinking. She would not break the hold.

"Chee" Itachi replied, ignoring her as he went back to his dispatches. Sakura felt the puff of steam erupt over her head. He was ignoring her, implying she wasn't a threat at all and wasn't worth paying attention to in the first place. Damn him!

"I'm going to my room to prepare. As a guest, I assume you'll clean up as the host" She said, chucking her plate at the wall with a resounding crash as she left. She could feel those red eyes on her back as she left, but she didn't care. Damn him and his arrogance. How dare he treat her so inferiorly. She could have had him at their fight in the forest. Storming off she slammed the door to her room, left to pace off her anger as she'd burned her chakra in fighting Deidara.

Deidara grumbled as he approached Konoha in Cognito.

"Deidara senpai, why are you dressed funny?" Tobi dried from the trees.

"UHN! Shut up Tobi! I'm delivering a message" Deidara yelled sharking his mouthed hand at the moron in the trees. Dear gods he would bring anbu down on them in a minute if he didn't shut the hell up.

"Ooh! The one from Sakura senpai ne Deidara senpai?"

"That bubblegum haired bitch isn't Akatsuki, Tobi. Wait…how do you know it was a letter from Sakura, Yeah?" Deidara asked.

"I wents into Sakura Senpai's room and saw it. Tobi is a good boy" he beamed.

Deidara rolled his eyes. Though the fact that Sakura had wrote the letter that he was delivering to Konha nin was interesting. Deidara's eye narrowed. Who the hell did she think she was, Yeah? Then there was Uchiha Itachi. The man was a complete bastard anyways uhn. But it was the interaction between the two that had him confused. Itachi was treating her like some kind of fucking house guest, instead of as a prisoner. Was he sleeping with the girl? Deidara had never seen or known Itachi to take up women, yeah, but that didn't mean he was a eunic, though Deidara had his doubts. Of course any fuck sick enough to murder almost their entire clan was freaky enough that Deidara didn't want to get involved with, yeah. He had been forced into Akatsuki, so it wasn't as if he enjoyed this, or them, anyways. As long as he could continue his art then it didn't matter. He would get his revenge on the Uchiha. Make no mistake about it, Yeah.

"Deidara senpai, why are you standing there?" Tobi asked, voice echoing in the lush green forest.

"Shut up TOBI! Or Leader sama will kill us both, Yeah, for not completing this stupid ass mission." Deidara said as he made the drop in the mailbox. This was a hidden stop, and Deidara scanned the area. He'd succeeded in dodging the Anbu patrols.

"Let's get the hell out of here." Deidara said.

"Hai Deidara Senpai" Tobi said cheerfully.

Deidara groaned in frustration. It would be a long trip back.


	5. Chastity

AN: Sadness

AN: Sakura's spunky again, but I figure with what she's done in life she's earned a little sass. Besides it keeps her from being weak.

Sadness. I've gotten hits which is sweet but only 2 reviews. Crappy. Hopefully whoever is reading this is enjoying the story, but let me know if you are or not by clicking the happy review button. It encourages me to write more.

PS. If anybody can tell me how to insert lines in the story I would be eternally grateful.

_She is chaste who was never asked the question.-William Congreve-_

Sakura sat, penning the notes she took from the scrolls she'd pulled. These particular books talked about seals. She'd already learned quite a bit from Jiraiya, but she obviously hadn't learned enough to break the seal. She was hoping to get lucky. She didn't think Itachi was the type of fool to leave books and scrolls lying around that would counteract his actions, but it didn't matter. Regardless it was new information, and reading was just about the only thing she could do aside from train. She'd already skimmed the medical books in the room and hadn't discovered anything particularly new or interesting in them. It rose her confidence in her medical skills. Then again, Itachi was not the sort of fool to leave high powered books out even if her chakra was sealed.

She sighed and turned the page of the book, fiddling with her pen. Very few people could say that they were both medics and proper ninja. It took an amount of chakra control and a level of pure skill that most ninja didn't have. Often times ninja fell into one category or the other. Sakura had worked her ass off after Sasuke had left and as a benefit of her work, had the best of both worlds. This also made it hard for her to fit into either.

She would work in the hospital as well as go on Anbu raids and she found mediocrity in both at times. The hospital staff always wondered when she'd be called on a mission next and the Anbu teams wondered who's life would be in critical condition and in her hands next. Anbu were a superstitious lot, with dark humor, but she guessed it came with the stresses of the job. Sakura would know, she'd realized how deep of an impact the anbu members had made on her own attitude and outlook. She'd only lost a single Anbu member from being a medic but after that she'd been shunned, as if it had been her fault. Sakura sighed. Anbu teams put too much faith in their own abilities and too much in medics such as her self after they proved their salt. There was only so much damage a human body could sustain and nearly being ripped in half wasn't exactly something Sakura could do much with, or anyone for that matter.

She supposed her vindication was that she'd saved more lives than she'd taken in the service of the hospital. Sakura had been…well bored with Konoha for quite some time now. She loved the foreign missions Tsunade would send her on, because it let her travel and see the other villages. It also gave her access to scrolls and jutsu and tactics she'd never seen before. The sights she'd seen in her travels were beautiful. Snow capped mountains, sunsets through valleys, rolling plains the wind whipping through them. She sighed wistfully. Her trip traveling after Itachi had beautiful landscape.

She didn't understand it, or rather her apathy towards both occupations. Both were high stress jobs. Perhaps Sakura had become calloused to the bloodshed and lives lost. Well not the lives lost. She still cried on occasion especially if it was a messy procedure and she'd thought they'd pull through, but certainly not as much as she'd used to. Those nights were the times where Naruto would be at her home, and she would curl up on her couch, Naruto holding her as she cried. She smiled softly, tucking a soft pink strand behind her ear. He would tell her she wasn't a super nin, or a god, and that it wasn't her fault, that she was a great ninja. She would listen to him snore before falling asleep herself. Briefly she felt the tears well as she wished Naruto were here now. Shaking her head she sighed.

She twirled her pen as she skimmed through the last chapter. Though Kakashi had exposed her to as many jutsu as he'd remembered to copy, any idiot knew there were several hundred thousand more, and more being created everyday. Sakura had worked up quite an arsenal. It left her astounded though at how Kakashi could whip them out in immediate response to an attack. She still needed work with her repertoire of jutsu to learn the strengths and weaknesses and master each one, for each given situation she'd encountered. Kakashi had told her it would come with time. She would stick her tongue out and tell him he had the sharingan and was obviously cheating. A soft smile broke through Sakura's intense studious expression.

She'd already read through the Konoha medical library, having enlisted clones to help her in the information gathering process. She would always keep clones out, some in the hospital or training grounds, some in the library, and archives. It was part of the training that had deepened her chakra. Of course she could never have as many as Naruto had going. Hers only lasted a few hours too before they dispersed themselves. Naruto's clones could only last so long in the library before poofing out of existence. She giggled. Naruto had no self discipline when it came to study. Still though, it was useful for information gathering.

If Sakura had enough chakra she could've done the same to the wall of books before her, sitting regally on the mahogany bookshelves.

"Ughh…not having Chakra is such a pain in the ass" Sakura grumbled.

She looked at all the books longingly. It was a shame she couldn't stay for longer. She sighed having finished with the seals book, and got up to put it away and grab another title. The benefit of having clones in the library was that it greatly improved her reading skills. Though sometimes Sakura wasn't sure how much information she could actually retain with her clones wandering around. She didn't know how Naruto did it, and he worked with clones in the hundreds. _No wonder he's an idiot..hundreds of Narutos wandering around doing stupid things…That has to affect his I.Q. _Inner Sakura mused. Her heart wrenched painfully as she thought of Naruto.

She felt the tears and closed her eyes, forcing them back as she swallowed. Naruto, nor Kakashi nor Sai, nor Tsunade shishio were here. She was with Akatsuki nin in the middle of kami sama knows where, a prisoner and possibly a traitor to her village. The knock on the door startled her out of her misery. She paused, trying to use her chakra to scan, and realizing she was depleted since her earlier candle lighting. The room had been awfully dark. Sakura regretted the decision now as she heard the knocking again.

"Who is it?" She responded, figuring if they were going to barge in they would have done it already.

"May I enter?" Itachi's deep yet soft voice was outside.

"No" Sakura replied, as she recognized Itachi's voice, glaring at the door and then continuing with her notes.

The door opened and Sakura rolled her eyes, continuing to write in the journal provided for her. She dipped the pen in the inkwell and wrote on.

"Why did you bother asking if you were going to barge in anyways?" She asked from her sprawled position on the floor, as she leaned over the books. She was chewing on the pen, leaning over a book, pink hair tucked behind her ear as she read.

"He will be in the vicinity by late nightfall early morning." Itachi told her.

"Great, so when are we leaving?" Sakura asked him, not even bothering to look up as she continued her note taking.

Itachi's eyes narrowed just a fraction, not used to being ignored. The luxuries the rose haired leaf nin was taking with him were confounding. He was the most feared Akatsuki member apart from Leader sama. He was the nightmare from her childhood bedtime stories from Konoha. He'd killed people for less blatant disrespect than the kunoichi in front of him was giving. He'd certainly punished Anbu members who hadn't fallen in line in his youth.

"Was Anbu remiss in teaching you respect and attention before a mission?" Itachi asked, irritated by her apathetic demeanor.

"Excuse me?" Sakura replied, pink eyes brows rose, jade eyes narrowed. She set the pen and her journal down and rose to her feet, mere inches away from him. Though he was slightly taller than her, Sakura wasn't intimidated. She'd stared down Neji and handed him his ass when he'd tried to pull rank on her. She'd lived a lifetime of Sasuke's emotional constipation and criticism, she wouldn't put up with another Uchiha's shit.

"Well?" Sakura said, eyeing him as she glared.

"Yet again, we encounter the problem of expectation, Sakura." Itachi said.

'

"And just what do you mean by that?" Sakura exclaimed.

"You're expecting an apology." Itachi replied.

"I was expecting an answer" Sakura replied evenly.

"You're lying" Itachi observed.

"How the hell would you know when I'm lying, or not, Huh? You may be an Uchiha but the egotism is getting tiring. You don't know me, you know nothing about me" Sakura replied furious.

"Even your fury is weak" Itachi said, blood red eyes looking down upon her.

"This coming from the man who bound my chakra" Sakura snarled. "It'd be a lot more impressive if I didn't have the handicap. I'd level the building and your head for starters" Sakura challenged.

"You would try." Itachi said simply, the hint of a smirk pulling at his blank features, though his eyes darkened.

"I would succeed" Sakura said, eyes flashing jade.

Itachi decided to ignore it. Maybe she would cease her foolish praddling if he moved on to the subject at hand.

"Pay attention. Even a leaf nin should be capable of that" Itachi ordered.

Sakura took a deep soothing breath. Even if he was being an uchiha bastard she needed to keep a level head. He was her enemy and she needed to treat him with civility even if he was refusing to return the gesture in kind. There was no point in getting all heated up when she couldn't fight back.

"Look Itachi, you came here for a reason, so unless we're going to work, I really don't want to speak with you." Sakura replied, huffing and turning her back on him as she collected the books, in her hand and walked back to the bookshelf.

Itachi's eyes narrowed. She'd just turned her back on him. Her! Turned her back on HIM! Who was she to tell _him _what to do? Who was she to dismiss him as if she was the one in control of the situation? This was getting grossly out of hand. He had allowed her to move into this room to gain her trust and gain ground as she would be useful for information in Konoha and gaining her trust would make the rest of this excursion far less painless. And now she was abusing the privileges he gave her.

He had expected her to fight, to put up resistance. He had not expected the attitude he'd received. Thus far, he'd had nothing but cynicism and criticism from her, from a weaker half rate nin. He was Uchiha Itachi, lone survivor of the Uchiha clan. He wielded the Sharingan. He was an S class criminal. He was a part of the most powerful operation in the elite ninja world. He was not her servant or her equal for that matter. He was several classes above her ninja caliber. He wasn't her teammate and he wasn't about to let her get away with speaking to him as such. He'd done nothing to warrant her attitude, having been polite and even kind in terms of the hospitality. He didn't put up with this kind of blatant disrespect when he was still a part of Konoha so he sure as hell wasn't going to put up with it now. Thoroughly startled to find himself exceedingly irritated at the pink haired nin's juvenile behavior, he decided to address the issue forthright.

"I don't know why you think you have control over this situation. But it will not be tolerated." Itachi told her, eyes narrowing a fraction.

"I don't see why-" She was slammed, mid sentence, into the wall, Itachi's body pinning her to it, wrists captured with his own hands.

"I'm getting rather _tired _of your sarcasm, Sakura, and as I said, I will tolerate it no further" Itachi told her.

Sakura's chest heaved, as she fought his restraint, pressing herself into the wall to try and get a foothold, which only seemed to encourage him to close the gap. His warm taut body pressed against hers, chest against hers as she fought him, crying out in pain as he held her against her will. She had tried maneuvering her legs, but he'd blocked those attempts as well, having her fully prone against the cold brick. His body was hard and lean, and unnaturally warm. Of course the only other man she'd ever been this close to was Naruto, who was really no basis of comparison. She couldn't fight the shiver she felt from her own body's reaction to the bastard and she hated him all the more because of it. Jade eyes narrowed, as she glared in sheer fury up at him.

"Is this supposed to prove your point? To make me afraid of you? Does it make you feel powerful? Are you in control yet?" Sakura challenged tone spiteful and hard as she still fought against the restraints. Damn him and sealing her chakra. She'd killed people for less than the insult he was pulling.

"You're playing a hand you don't have, Sakura" Itachi replied, calling her bluff for what it was, face an inch from hers.

She could feel the heat of his breath and realized that his breathing harder than normal as well. The fire's light reached for the corners of the room, casting shadows over his face, deepening the shadows within his eyes. The hard edges of his face became sharper and the shadows deeper blending with the orange light on his face. She stared balefully up into those sharingan set eyes, so like Sasuke's and yet harsher, crueler in their intensity. His face and eyes were sharper. His eyelashes were longer than Sasuke's, and his eyes were a bit more almond shaped. His bangs strayed over those blood red eyes, framing them with a curtain of black tresses. The fire reflected off those tresses, and had Sakura had her hands free she might have been tempted to touch them. Their breath mingled, their proximity was so close. Sakura was uncomfortable as hell but didn't dare blink an eyelash at the Uchiha prodigy. She wouldn't back down from this.

"I hate you" She shot at him, furious as she breathed hard, still attempting to fight his hold. Her arms shook as she tried again.

"Your hate is weak, as well" He replied, a smirk actually managing to strike his features. Sakura gasped, not meaning to as she looked upon him half in horror and half wonder.

He had simply meant to show her his authority. That he was Akatsuki and the man who'd killed his own clan. That she would respect and fear him or he'd kill her without a moment's hesitation. He'd snapped, lashed out at her, something Uchiha Itachi never did. He was always cool and calm and in control during his fights. Battles were not personal, nor emotional. He did his job, often letting the other nin attack first before finishing them off neatly and effectively. There was no personal grievance. If they needed to be tortured then he did it quickly.

What the hell was it about this girl that brought out the sheer un-adultered rage in him? Her ability to get under his skin was annoying him more by the second. Her attitude of disdain was taxing him more than he'd realized. He wanted the fear in her eyes, as when they'd been fighting. Her gasp brought his attention to her many features. Her jade eyes, framed by long black eye lashes. Those eyes reflected the fire in them. Coral lips were formed in an awed o shape from her gasp. He supposed if she'd had her hands free she might have put her hands over it to cover her shock. Damn. His own mortal flesh reminded him of just how long it had been since he'd had frivolous female companionship. It was something he hadn't meant to notice in this close proximity, something that now became all too apparent as he inwardly cursed his weakness.

Sakura had gasped, an action she had never meant to actually do, but it couldn't be helped. The resemblance to Sasuke was so heart achingly familiar that it startled her. He hadn't looked like him before then, but then his eyes had warmed and something about his face had become less..Itachi like. _Sasuke kun…_ She felt the wetness of her own tears stream down her cheeks before she realized what was happening. Breaking eye contact with a sharp turn of her neck, hair falling in her face to hide them, though nothing escaped those blood red eyes, she murmured simply "Release me".

Itachi complied, disappearing into a chair as Sakura stumbled forward. Sakura didn't have time to recognize the significance of the situation. She was too focused on her own internal turmoil. She turned away from that burning gaze as she fought for control over her emotions. That man was nothing like Sasuke. Nothing…_Sasuke kun never let you get that close, never looked at you like that _Inner Sakura retorted.

She sniffled as softly as she possibly could, hoping to hide it, though why she didn't know. She composed herself, pretending like it hadn't happened. Damn him for seeing her weakness. Damn him for looking like Sasuke. Damn him for being an Uchiha. Whatever…that was..what had occurred between her and Itachi just a moment before, was gone, and neither of them was missing it. He was now composed as well, his face a mask of un-emotion betraying nothing of the flickering shadows before.

"Fukutachi Chou is S class." Itachi said, placing a folder down.

Sakura took it, opening it delicately and examining the contents. Six foot ten, broad shouldered, scarred. Jade eyes read the description quickly, glancing over it. She tucked a pink strand behind her ear, frustrated with it getting in her face and she let out a gruff groan of frustration as she tied it back with a ponytail quickly. She felt that burning gaze upon her and turned flushing as she focused on the information at hand, inwardly cursing her body. Why was she reacting like this? She thought flustered.

_Because he's an Uchiha…he may not have the right face, but he's the only one left. Plus Uchiha have been the star of our fantasies for too damn long. _Inner Sakura retorted.

_Singular Uchiha, as_ _in Sasuke, not this cold hearted bastard _Sakura thought, continuing to read.

_He's dead, and that one is very much alive. One Uchiha bastard is a good as the other. _Inner Sakura said smugly.

It was times like these that Sakura hated her inner persona.

Apparently Chou's weapons of choice were a huge Chigiriki and a Hanbo. She had no idea what could possibly be shoved up in the Hanbo concealed but it always made the battles exciting. If he looked anything like the drawing the man was bad ass ugly. He'd probably have miscellaneous other elements on him, but nothing that wouldn't be too hard to handle. He didn't appear to wear armor of any sort which surprised her. Then again S classed criminals didn't really need it. He just had a bamboo hat and a cloak, but perhaps there was more under the cloak then the sketcher realized? The information was so-so, not terribly detailed in what she really needed to know about the man.

"So?" She replied finally. "I've taken down S class nin before" She reached for a few grapes.

"Your assumptions astonish me, Sakura" Itachi said, eyeing her.

"What? I have to be the one to take him down so that we can get the money. It's not like you can walk up to a village and do it. That whole being wanted thing kinda puts a damper on you taking him down and they won't pay me if it doesn't look like I did it." Sakura exclaimed.

"Hn." Itachi said.

"Ever the talk-a-tive one. " Sakura replied absently, not even really paying attention.

"Do you treat your other Konoha nin… like this?" Itachi wondered, her insults becoming more prolonged over their exposure together.

She was grating on his nerves again. Part of him wanted to push her as much as she was pushing him, to see her angry again, to have an excuse to be- No, no those thoughts were undisciplined. He was thinking with the wrong part of him. The more logical coherent side of him was controlled calculated and calm. It would ensure that the other side never rear it's ugly head again. Had the dispatch not been sent already he would've killed her by now….in fact probably back in the woods as he should have. Now it was troublesome because she was a part of the plan. That made her feel like she had privilege. He would change that soon enough.

"Worse actually." And Itachi paused, the implications of what she'd said ringing clearly in his mind. She was treating him as her konoha nin, perhaps with the civility of a guest. But it meant that his tactics were working.

"Ugh. I need my weapons, and unseal me damn it. I'm your partner now. And how did you get 'leader-sama' or whoever he is to agree to let you do this?" Sakura questioned.

"I do not answer to you. You'll get your weapons when you need them, as with the seal. We are not partners, or equals for that matter, and you are not Akatsuki." Itachi stated, factually.

"Of course not. I'd never do something that stupid." Sakura retorted, with a small grin.

"Sakura, be _very_ careful how you choose to address this operation. My tolerance is wearing steadily thin for that mouth of yours already." Itachi said.

"I was teasing Itachi, but I forgot you are incapable of joking." She said with a sigh.

"Have you forgotten your enemies so quickly kunoichi? Do not mistake what I am." Itachi provoked.

"We're on the same side for now, and I'm not afraid of you." Sakura replied.

"You would do well to be afraid of me" Itachi retorted.

"You criticize me for seeing you as a monster, then you criticize me for not being afraid of you. Make up your mind, Itachi" Sakura said.

"Your approach would be sloppy and messy at best, if it doesn't fail completely." Itachi said, changing the subject.

"And I suppose you have a better plan" She retorted.

"Of course." The Uchiha bastard replied. Sakura glared.

"How fluent are you on the art of seduction?" Itachi asked her, rose red eyes gleaming as they gazed at her.

"S-seduction?" Sakura stuttered, surprised at his new tactic. Itachi nodded.

"I can't do that…" Sakura replied, fighting the blush.

"It may not be your level of expertise, but Every Anbu Kunoichi is taught the art of seduction." Itachi replied.

"Let me rephrase this, I _won't_ do that" Sakura replied icily.

There was no way in hell. The s class criminal man…thing… was butt ugly, and huge and probably smelly and hairy. Yeah she'd taken the course but that didn't mean she had any real experience in it. Hell, Naruto had been the first boy to actually kiss her, and she'd broken his face for it and put him in urgent care for the night. _Ramen Eating Bastard_ she thought. She was still bitter about that. She'd certainly had some pleasurable make out sessions but they'd never progressed to anything more. Neji could do some amazing things with his tongue…but She'd always been called away to the hospital or Anbu or vice versa. Both jobs had really put a damper on her love life. It wasn't that she hadn't wanted to…she'd just been really busy getting stronger, doing missions, doing research, and trying to get Sasuke back.

_Guess that takes one thing off our "to do" list. _Inner Sakura commented trying to be humorous. It left Sakura with a sour taste in her mouth, and a familiar ache in her heart.

"Then I refuse to unseal your chakra" Itachi said simply.

Jade eyes narrowed. "You're not going to manipulate me like that Itachi"

"I'm afraid you're wrong Sakura. My way is quicker, and more efficient. You'll do as you are told."

"Oh?" Sakura retorted.

"You forget my genjutsu skill, Sakura. Would it make you feel better if I made you picture Sasuke instead?" Itachi said, wry smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"You Bastard" Sakura rose, and he rose as well. "How dare you mock my pain!"

"You do the job with out the seal, or with it Sakura, but either way you'll do it." Itachi replied, eyes narrowed.

"You would let him rape me then just to fulfill your plans" Sakura exclaimed, not believing this.

"Ninja are tools, Sakura" Itachi replied nonchalantly.

"I'm a person, damn it!" Sakura shouted, slamming her fists on the table.

"You are a contingent, Sakura. Nothing more, nothing less."

Itachi might have died of shock. She had no witty retort, no sarcastic comeback. Had he just won the argument? He waited with baited breath. She always had something more to say it seemed. He had to think of a way to shut her up before they traveled.

"Look…I don't think you _understand_ the circumstances here?" Sakura said, refusing to look at him

"Oh?" Itachi challenged.

"I'm a virgin" She said softly.

Soft laughter accompanied the statement and green eyes shot up. "What the hell is so goddamn funny?" She said embarrassed as hell. If she'd had her chakra she most definitely would have punched him through a wall or three by now.

Itachi shook his head as the laughter died. How the kunoichi had survived Anbu a virgin would never cease to bring a smirk to his face.

"I see…"He said after regaining his composure. "Then you are unsuitable for the mission."


	6. The Hunt

"Whether hunting is right or wrong, a spiritual experience, or an outlet for the killer instinct, one thing it is not is a sport

AN: Glad everybody's enjoying the story. This is my break from finals and ridiculous amounts of homework.

The fight scene was partially inspired through this video. It's not mine:

/watch?vEb-8INMGbN0

The 8th circle of hell is a reference to Dante's _Divine Comedy_; his 9 circles of hell. The 8th circle is for those who committed conscious treachery.

"_Whether __hunting__ is right or wrong, a spiritual experience, or an outlet for the killer instinct, one thing it is not is a sport.__"-Anonymous-_

_flashback_

"You summoned me, Leader sama" Itachi said, bowing to the translucent shadow, looking into the rinnegan lined eyes of Pein, as he rose to his feet.

"Indeed. Explain to me Itachi, why I should let you _live_ after betraying the Akatsuki so blatantly" Pein replied, eyes narrowing at the Sharingan bearing Uchiha as the chakra around Itachi surged.

"Blatantly, Leader sama?" Itachi replied, eyes holding Pein's captive without fear or trembling.

"Yes" Pein hissed.

"What betrayal do you speak of?" Itachi said feigning ignorance.

"Do _not _mock me. The girl has not been chosen as a candidate for Akatsuki and thus should have been disposed of immediately. Instead you allow her into one of our places of operation. If you value your miserable existence you will explain yourself before I sentence you to the 8th circle of hell" Pein proclaimed voice booming.

Itachi could feel the chakra around him surge with Pein's rage.

"Leader sama, my brother was murdered. The leaf nin thought it was my fault and attacked me. Upon hearing my brother's demise, I figured it would be in the organizations best interests to keep her alive, and discover why. Anyone powerful enough to manage to kill my brother may be a threat to us" Itachi replied smoothly. Sharingan meeting Rinnegan, dead on.

"Sasuke? Dead.." Pein's eyes widened and narrowed, contemplation apparent on the translucent figure s those rinnegan eyes seemed to focus on the statue.

"Aa." Itachi replied with a respectful bow. "The girl could be useful in helping me piece together the cause of his death as well as a chance to get the Kyuubi as they are teammates of my late brother, but if you wish her death-…" Itachi paused, eyeing Leader.

Pein's eyes narrowed. Itachi merely waited for the response he knew had to follow. It was a gamble, sometimes Leader sama would go against his wishes simply to spite him, and put him in his place, reminding him that he was the Leader and that decisions made without him were not to be tolerated.

"Your mission is to discover the death of your brother. If you can manage the Kyuubi so be it, but we must know who holds the Sharingan, if anyone before we can act." Pein ordered.

"Will I be needing my partner on this outing?" Itachi inquired.

"Kisame will best serve us in other areas." Pein's tone was dangerous and Itachi knew that if he pushed any further he would be risking his life.

"Oh…and Itachi?" Pein's voice echoed.

"Yes Leader sama?" Itachi replied respectfully.

"You _will _dispose of the girl when she has lost her usefulness" Pein ordered.

"Yes, Leader Sama" Itachi bowed and the translucent figure faded.

_end flashback_

Sakura waited, tense as she fingered the hilts of her twin katana, gloved hands rubbing silently across the well used handles. The target was in front of her, stirring the pot of his breakfast. It had to be about 4:00 in the morning, judging from the darkness of the sky. It was lightly snowing and Sakura fought the shiver of chills. She couldn't use her chakra to keep her warm or she'd alert her presence to Chou. He was a huge man, wide in mass and tall in height. He was at least twice as tall as her and probably about 3 times as wide. The straw hat could have easily been the size of her upper torso to cover this man's head. His cloak covered over his body, draping over what looked like a mechanical arm with a huge iron shoulder guard. Did he use his chakra to keep it in place? Their information had been wrong, he was bigger and denser than she'd ever imagined. Oh well. The bigger they were the harder they fell.

Itachi still hadn't unsealed her chakra yet and she glared in the trees as she knew his position. They'd been staking out the area for three hours waiting for an open moment. His unsealing her chakra would be the signal to attack. Her legs felt stiff in the chill of the morning, a bad sign for any ninja about to strike. She ignored it. As a medic, it didn't particularly matter.

"Since you are incompetent in the areas of seduction perhaps you should prove your worth via the battlefield." Itachi had told her.

Uchiha Bastard. So she was virgin…it didn't mean she wasn't skilled. She'd been told by the other anbu members that she'd had steamy make out sessions with that she was _incredibly_ skilled. Medic hands, she thought with a grin. Plus she knew all the pressure points. She scowled as she waited. She just didn't want some man this big taking her virginity. _That would've hurt like hell in the morning… _Inner Sakura commented.Sakura ignored her. They weren't on speaking terms since the Sasuke comment. _Shannaro!_ Inner Sakura complained.

They had decided to do things her way, though he would never admit it, as he'd "formulated a new strategy". Infuriatingly, he'd treated her as a child through out the entire process as if she'd never planned a mission before. She wasn't a moron or a rookie but it obviously didn't matter to the sharingan eyed Akatsuki member. Somehow he'd even managed to make her feel incompetent in missions, as a ninja and her virginity. Damn it, it wasn't that shameful…Sakura's jade eyes narrowed as she waited, her senses prickling. He'd stopped stirring the pot and was looking around. Her eyes darted to Itachi. She knew there was something he wasn't telling her about their plan and now the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach deepened.

Before she knew it, the ground exploded and she had just enough time to leap up and scramble away before she felt the force of those giant hands. It had only been the very top of his hand, but the blow was enough to send her flying. Ah, he'd hit her with the metal piece. Panicked, Sakura could feel the deep bruising and tried to reach into her chakra but couldn't. She closed her eyes. What if Itachi didn't release her chakra? She could die here and now by this s class criminal and no one would know the wiser.

_Release….Release…Release! _She prayed

Her chakra seal released, and Sakura had enough time to brace her back with chakra before slamming into the tree painfully. She had curled limiting the amount of damage the impact would make, all the while using her healing chakra. Leaping up and volleying over his head as she landed a shallow cut on his neck. She noted that his clone stirring the pot disappeared. Damn it. She'd been set up. Itachi was no where to be seen and Sakura cursed her foolishness. Of course Itachi wouldn't help her, he'd make her do the hard work. Whatever plan Itachi had was somehow involving her and that could never be good.

"Foolish Kunoichi! Did you think I couldn't sense you!" Fukutachi Chou laughed as he ripped the tree from it's roots and swatted the other trees with it.

Sakura nearly fell as she leaped to the next tree, keeping out of reach of the tree trunk as other trees fell around her. She threw kunai, as she leaped from branch to branch of the trees, all of which were blocked by the tree trunk he had. It had been worth a shot. She still had a grip on her katana and decided she would relieve him of his natural weapon as he broke the tree she'd been crouching in. She leaped, splitting into six clones as she did while the tree plummeted. He couldn't swat all of them in one swoop and she'd judged him accurately, as he'd gone after the one to her right. Sakura's clone poofed out of existence as Sakura herself landed the blow to the tree, katana slicing through the tree trunk as she landed towards him.

Her sword connected with something hard as she landed, the very iron pole of his weapon; the chigiriki itself. Her katana shook with effort as his eyes widened and narrowed. Her arms strained and she dug her feet in with chakra to hold him at bay. Her katana began to slice into the weaker metal and Sakura cried out at the strain refusing to give way. Chou gave her a look of disbelief, and then his eyes lit with amusement. She saw the spiked chain metal weight come as he'd turned to parry her katana away from him. The spiked metal piece came flying towards her, the chain rattling and she dodged it, throwing one of her katana through the chain. That had throw had cost her, as his huge knee connected with her side. He was an S class criminal for a reason she thought with a gasp of pain. She'd managed to use her chakra to cushion the blow, curling, as she ricocheted off of a tree. Her katana however, had caught and went through the chain of his weapon, and with her chakra enhanced throw, sent the huge man flying backwards, hand still attached to his weapon. The forest shook as he knocked down thirty trees, all of them coming crashing down on him as he tumbled. _That would hurt some _she thought with a smirk.

Sakura's eyes narrowed in pain as her muscles spasmed in her arm. She caught her breath, using chakra to heal her sprained arm and the minor damage from the blow. She split into clones, propelling themselves in different directions and was satisfied to hear his loud belligerent cry, as he launched forward, chigiriki flying. Sakura leapt over the first blow of the chained metal spike, landing on his feet with a sickening crunch and leaping up, katana aimed with precision as she split the knee and thigh guards of his leg armor managing shallow cuts along his epidermis. Her other clones distracted him and she felt two disperse. The metal arm was solid and appeared to be used by chakra. Quite a large amount of chakra

He wasn't an idiot, and that was why he was S class. He realized which one of her was real immediatly. He tried to kick out, but she was able to vault off his leg, using the momentum to thrust herself up, landing a slice to his face, as another clone managed to dig a kunai deep under his armpit. He cried out in pain and she dodged the pole and leapt backwards vaulting on her hands and feet, to avoid the parried chain as her other clones poofed out of existence. He turned faster than she'd anticipated and she felt the spike of the metal weight break the skin of her legs mid leap, sending her tumbling. She chakra glued herself to the side of the tree with a wince. Healing chakra immediately went to work as jade eyes narrowed and she was able to jump off the tree as it fell from his blow. She crouched as she tumbled, rolling and dodging another blow of his chain.

She punched the ground, throwing him off balance as it cracked, buying her some time. She sprinted, away from the damage and the sinking chunks of land, and he leapt in front of her, chigiriki once again in his hands as he launched into his moves. The blows were enhanced with chakra this time, she noted as she continued to dodge, managing shallow cuts while she tested his defenses. The ground was torn up in places, huge ditches were scattered across the now empty ground, the dirt soft from being dug up by their battle. She'd have to be careful not to land in a sink hole.

Sakura shimmied up the tree, using her chakra to cling to the bark as she felt the tree crack and break from another blow of his chigiriki. She launched herself forward and off of the tree, twirling midair to avoid another blow. She made it to the next tree launching herself further up the tree to another tree and gaining some considerable height as his chigiriki couldn't reach her. It was time to rid him of his toys. She jumped off the top diving towards him. She twirled mid air avoiding the weapon as she spun, katana out. She was too fast for him to block. She sliced the muscle on his shoulder, severing the muscle connected to his real arm, the arm that had the most strength behind it. She landed neatly, and turned on the heel of her foot, katana flashing, in the newly rising sun. The chigiriki dropped with a huge crash as he cried out in utter fury.

Brown eyes lost all traces of Sanity as he launched himself towards her. Sakura ran backwards, leaping barely ahead of him. She could see the rocks out of the corner of her eye and immediately her plan took flight. He punched the ground with his metal arm and Sakura lost her footing. He managed a lucky hit, his only usable metal hand swatting her forward, and down. Damn it. She would bear bruising, healing chakra already set to work on the bones. She could feel the blood, but it didn't matter, she had bigger things to worry about as she rolled into the leaves, clones splitting. The leaf ground gave way as Sakura's trap sprung itself, revealing a huge pit. Fukutachi Chou launched himself down after her, as Sakura tumbled.

She managed to dart to another side of the wall before he'd gotten a hold of her. The man continued to leap down after her, eyes crazed, lusting for her blood. Rocks fell smashing into his head as he continued after her, and Sakura wasn't surprised to feel his blood land in thick splashes on her. Sakura landed on the floor of the deep tunnel and smiled as she revealed the pouches of senbon and explosives before poofing out of existence.

The explosion rocked the forest, and Sakura heard the scream of agony. Fukutachi Chou leapt out of the deep pit, snarling in fury as senbon needles were stuck to every portion of his body, blood oozing, useless arm hanging limply as he grabbed a rock throwing it at the trees. He ripped off his cloak revealing his metal arm, and upper torso, ninja pants and sandals ripped from where Sakura had sliced off his armor.

"KUNOICHI!" He cried, as he saw her, but Sakura's clones merely poofed out of existence as Kunai were launched from triggering the wires she'd set up. He screamed his fury as more blood fell. Her clones had been imbued with chakra, so each and every one of them had her signature to them.

"Fukutachi Chou you are hereby eliminated" Sakura said, driving her katana deep into his back, as the big man fell forward. Sakura leapt away as he rolled onto his back, driving it further in. He snarled, blood vessels nearly bursting as he rose.

"Still not dead?" Sakura taunted, as she slashed her katana. His brown eyes were bloodshot in their fury.

"You will die today, kunoichi" he said shooting through hand symbols.

Sakura smirked wryly. "I know that one, Chou san" Sakura replied as he hands whirled through her own set.

Fire and lightning and water crackled, icicles and wind blew the leaves off the trees. Sakura turned the leaves to icicles and sent them spiraling towards her opponent. Different elementals fought each other on the damaged ground, water, fire wind and earth interacting in frightening beauty. They exchanged jutsu, and finally Sakura got fed up. It was time to end this. She'd used up quite a bit of her chakra and thus she switched to tai jutsu, summoning one last creature to deal with his newest attack as she launched herself forward.

Her foot connected with his face before he could finish his jutsu and she launched into a series of kicks, his body flying forward in the ground from her assault. She managed a final swipe from her katana, and Fukutachi Chou's eyes grew dim, the dimness of death. Sakura's chest was heaving as she huffed, catching her breath. She unsheathed her katana, cautious as she approached the body.

"Itachi?" She gasped, looking around. If the Uchiha prodigy had heard her, he didn't respond as the silence of the forest answered her.

Sakura stuck her katana in several places as she looked at the body cautiously. He was really dead. She began examining his arm. It was chakra bound, and intricate seals were etched along it's surface. Sakura began to un work them with her own seals when she felt Uchiha Itachi's ki in front of her. He held both of her arms above her.

Opening those jade eyes, she looked deep into ruby red Sharingan.

"Fukutachi Chou was an S Class for a reason, Sakura" Itachi told her.

"So?" Sakura retorted, glaring as she broke his hold, rubbing her wrists.

Itachi's clones materialized before her, and she watched as they unraveled the chakra. Itachi picked her up in one fell swoop and deposited her next to him in a tree as they watched.

"Hey-" Sakura hadn't even had time to protest as the arm hissed, poison gas filling the area. Itachi took care of it with a breath dispersing it as his clones dispersed. He hadn't saved her life because the poison wasn't particularly impressive in comparison to the poisons of konoha, but he had certainly saved her quite a bit of trouble working out the antidote.

"Thank you" She murmured, as she looked at him.

"Your thanks is not needed" Itachi replied, eyes on the body.

"Ugh-"Sakura exclaimed, irritated, but then the body hissed again.

The arm seemed to break in half. Invisible lines along the body appeared to open up and suddenly revealed that the body she'd been fighting was indeed something chakra made, and almost mechanical. _But…but it had felt so real…_ Sakura gasped, and followed after Itachi who was now standing near the mechanical marvel.

"D..damn you" A voice croaked. The man inside matched the description of the man they were pursuing and he had miscellaneous senbon needles and burns scattered across his body in spite of the mechanical suit he appeared to be wearing and using. Sakura shivered at the thought. It looked like his lungs were punctured, her katana having driven deep enough to impale him. Sakura watched with wide eyes. She had never seen something like this in her entire experience as a ninja. The thought sent a cold shiver up her spine. Who had created this technological marvel? What country was this formidable?

"You were you a fool, Fukutachi Chou. You will die for it" Itachi said, Sharingan eyes whirling.

"I'll see you in hell" Chou cried, and then gurgled, choking on blood as Sakura looked and found his throat slit, from a kunai. Itachi held the bloody kunai in his had and watched as the blood drained from the man with a calloused air.

"What the hell is this?" Sakura asked, looking at it with wary eyes. Her skin was pale and she looked worried. Itachi mused on the thought. She she'd never come in contact with one of these? He tucked that useful information for later. The ninja world was changing and Konoha apparently was still set in it's ways

"Fukutachi Chou is a wanted S class criminal because of his specialty in puppetry." Itachi said.

Sakura's eyes widened. "He's from Sand?" She exclaimed, shivering as the old feeling of déjà vu hit her. Her battle with Sasori from the Akatsuki came back with haunting familiarity. Her heart clenched. Chiyo-basan …

"Aa." Itachi replied. "You are familiar with the ways of puppetry. Instead of operating a puppet with chakra strings, he made this." Itachi said.

"So the outer shell was the puppet? But why did the flesh feel real?" Sakura said, growing paler as she looked at the mess of flesh and blood along the inside of the large puppet.

"Fukutachi probably used a live body, from the looks of the inner workings" Itachi said with a shrug. Itachi simply waved his hand over a seal using his chakra and suddenly the smell of rotting flesh was over powering the air. The flesh began to rot instantly.

"He must have kept it fresh with his chakra." Itachi commented thoughtfully.

Sakura was a medic. She'd seen people torn apart, sights that would haunt normal people for the rest of their lives. She'd seen missing appendages entrails splattered. Hell, she'd had blood covering her from head to toe, had crushed and squashed body parts and ligaments and bones. She had cracked heads open, smashed through faces until she could feel the brains splatter on her. She had done autopsy's on several hundred patients, assisting Tsunade and the mortuary medic in the task. But the smell and the appearance of it was simply too much to bear. The thought of another human being riding around in a flesh ridden body pushed her over the edge and sent her instantly in the brush to cough up last night's dinner. Her eyes blurred with tears as she gasped, spitting up the last of it with a tremble as her body rebelled against her. She wiped her mouth, spitting one final time. She felt cool hands against her temples, and the nausea passed his chakra blocking the scent.

She looked up into beautiful Sharingan eyes, framed by curtains of long black bangs, his long tresses pulled back into his low ponytail.

With one look he told her what he thought. _Weak. _

Sakura slapped off his hands, rising, stumbling to her feet, but she couldn't stay standing. She felt herself teeter wearily off balance and she knew she would fall. She closed her eyes and accepted her fate. Then she felt the addictive warmth of his body against hers, the scent of sandalwood from the trees he'd been in. Jade eyes were dizzy and disoriented as they stared up into those beautiful eyes beneath thick black lashes. Her own body was leaning fully on his as one hand was wrapped around her waist to steady her and the other had a grip on her upper arm to keep her in place.

"Why.." She murmured, comfortable to rest her chin against his chest as she looked up at him with half awake eyes.

"Your body is in shock from the amount of chakra used in battle and the lack of nourishment from your last upheaval." Itachi replied, Sharingan eyes un blinking, and unwavering from her green ones.

"That… wasn't what I- meant.." She murmured, blacking out against him, soft pink tresses brushing against his cheek.

Itachi sighed. Yesterday, she had smelled of cherry blossoms in the spring. Today her hair lacked much scent other than sweat and the earth and surrounding area she'd been in. Foolish girl. She'd forgotten to mask her sweat, the reason why both of them; Itachi and Fukutachi had known she was there. Even the tiniest amount of saline would be enough to give her away. With another sigh, resigned to his fate, he lifted her lithe body into his arms, cradling her as he leapt away to find shelter. He would come back and clean up the mess afterwards.


	7. Villains

AN: Thanks for reading

AN: This chapter is kind of intense. It took a lot longer than I anticipated and the story might take a turn I hadn't anticipated. I guess that's just the nature of the beast though. The creative juices are flowing a lot less easy as these chapters go by. le sigh

Much thanks and love to my betamuse; Deadly Diva. Without her, all you fans would not have any of my stories. Go shower her with love and appreciation.

_The Greatest villains are the ones that truly believe in the cause they are championing. -Anonymous-_

Itachi paced as he walked the stretch of the rocky cavern. It was raining, the drops falling off in sheets as he waited. Itachi had always appreciated the rain but in this particular case it was a precious ally. The rain would cover their tracks and his genjutsu would keep unsuspecting ninja from overtaking them. They already had a relatively dry secure area for the night. Food was prepared and heating over the fire, and everything else had been taken care of. He continued to pace as he formulated his plans, sharingan intense in their concentration. Things had been falling conveniently into place which worried the Uchiha prodigy. Sakura trusted him, which was questionable as to whether it was hindering his plans or not. He needed her trust, but the comfortableness between them, the looks she gave him….He turned feeling her chakra waver, signifying her conciousness.

Jade green eyes fluttered open slowly. "Damn …"Sakura said scratching her head as she rose from the ground.

Her chakra was resealed she noted as she tried to access it. Sakura supposed it could have been worse. She didn't appear to have sustained any lasting injuries and she still had her weapons. Emerald green eyes looked around and saw Itachi, pacing at the front end of the cavern. Satisfied that he was near, she looked at her surroundings. A small fire burned a few feet in front of her with something of what appeared to be a stew brewing on it. Her things were behind her, had been her pillow, and her sleeping pad had been laid out for her to rest on. A sack cloth bag lay to the right of her things, a puddle of blood dripping from the bag. That had to be Chou's head. Averting her eyes from the sack, she glanced up at Itachi from beneath veiled lashes. Itachi wasn't wearing his Akatsuki cloak, it being tossed to the side of the cavern as he paced. Simply clad in fishnet top, shirt over that and his ninja pants and sandles, Sakura could imagine how he might have looked in Anbu gear. How had he ever made Anbu at 13?

Sakura rose from the sleeping pad, and searched in her pack for her bowl. Upon finding it she smiled and grabbed the ladle stirring the stew.

"Thank you for making dinner" Sakura offered as she poured stew into her bowl. It smelled wonderful. Itachi either ignored her or didn't hear her. _More than likely the former, as opposed to the later,_ Sakura thought, with a scowl. Until she noticed the small section of white bandage beneath his fishnet shirt, cleverly concealed beneath the black. Had he not been furiously pacing he might have never noticed. Rising to her feet as she set the bowl of stew aside she approached him.

She walked right up to him and her hands lifted the hem of his shirt revealing the bandages. Before she could blink, his hands gripped both of hers, sharingan eyes narrowed dangerously.

Itachi had underestimated her. He had never thought her capable of coming right up to him. Though she had touched his shirt, revealing the bandage which had probably been her goal in the first place, it was the fact that he was unprepared for that sort of reaction from her. He had been unguarded around her a fact which had never slipped in Itachi's track record. He was always the cautious one, always thinking and planning ahead, always suspecting people. He never let people get close, he never gave them the opportunity to. He hadn't planned for _her_, hadn't prepared for something like this. _You're a fool_ he chided himself.

"Where did you get this?" Sakura demanded, looking at the blood soaked bandages. It was little wonder she hadn't smelled it before now. Though Itachi's touch had always been warm to her, it was unnaturally so, his hands clammy against her wrists.

"Its none of your concern" Itachi told her firmly.

"The hell it isn't. I'm a medic, Itachi. Where?" Sakura demanded. Green eyes refused to give way. Itachi sighed. If he didn't tell she wouldn't shut up about it until he did and she might draw enemy nin's with her praddling. Best to shut her up now then let it go any further.

"I retrieved Fukutachi's body from enemy nin." Itachi said, eyes narrowing as he glared at the bubblegum haired kunoichi.

"Why didn't you wake me?" Sakura exclaimed, pink eye brows widening.

"Do _not_ insult me, Sakura" Itachi replied icily, disdain apparent in his demeanor and his tone.

"Unseal me" Sakura demanded, as she struggled against his hold.

"I do not need you" Itachi replied, releasing his grip on her wrists and turning to resume his pacing.

"Let me heal you" Sakura repeated, grabbing his wrist.

"Your assistance is not needed" Itachi repeated, eyeing her hand on his.

"Don't flatter yourself. It's not for your sake." Sakura retorted, glaring at him.

"Oh? Who else could it be for, Sakura?" Itachi replied the dry hint of sarcasm entering his tone.

"It's for Sasuke." Sakura said softly, eyes trailing to the floor of the cavern.

Blood red Sharingan narrowed, as he rounded on Sakura. He'd had just about enough from the kunoichi. Healing him for _Sasuke_? He could have killed her in that moment. Insulting little wretch. As if he needed her medic skills, he'd lived for years without such assitance. She was a contingent in his plans. Currently she was proving to be more of an annoyance with every passing moment. He was Akatsuki and she was a leaf nin. How naïve could she get? His mind formulated his plans and his decision was made. He would break her, break her naïve notions, her half formed thoughts. Red eyes bore into her as he strode forward. Startled, Sakura retreated, her back touching the cavern.

"You're not doing this for his sake Sakura you're doing it for your own. I highly doubt that my foolish little brother would appreciate _you_ healing _me_, Sakura. Do _not_ flash his name, as such, to me again." he said, eyes searching hers.

"You didn't kill him." She replied, jade eyes meeting his. She had stated that last part as fact and it showed in her eyes. Her chin was up and her eyes were unwavering. Her shoulders were straight and firm, though her legs trembled.

"So trusting, Sakura. I killed the rest of the Uchiha clan." Itachi reminded her.

The trust that she put in him already was touching and endearing, inspite of it's weakness of logic and reason. It confirmed his success at the captive situation. She was already trusting him, already believing in him, allowing him to have an impact on her. Once she let him in she would be ruined. He would tear down the foundations of her thoughts around her and lead her into skepticism. He might even be able to manipulate her as far as leaving Konoha. His mind turned as he mused his thoughts into fruition. Poor foolish girl. She didn't even understand the likelihood of her getting caught in his web, didn't understand the potential dangers of a hostage situation and where her own individuality would lie when the dust settled. It would be too late by the time she realized it.

"But you didn't kill him." Sakura insisted.

"Never trust an enemy. Didn't you learn your chunnin lessons?" Itachi retorted, red eyes blazing.

"You said it yourself, you have no reason to lie to me." Sakura said, with a shiver from his heated look. Her jade gaze never dropped from his, a fact he found annoying.

"And yet you know how utterly capable I am of the act. How very naïve of you, Sakura" Itachi replied, stepping closer.

She did not flinch as he brought both of his hands up by her head to block her escape. It was a whim surely, but he allowed himself the small indulgence, hoping to inflict further damage upon her. Surely his proximity would make her uncomfortable? He found he wanted her to shift, to look away, to be afraid and to flinch before him. To cower and tremble as such weak willed ninja did before him. It would be easier than what she was doing, the very way she was acting around him now. She barely blinked. So physically she could resist him, could control her body's responses to the fear she didn't quite suppress. It meant that he had to change tactics. He would make her feel uncomfortable in other ways while still building upon that trust.

"Let me heal you" Sakura insisted again placing a gloved hand on his arm. She felt the muscle beneath her hand tense. He had expected her to start a fight and when she didn't his look lost it's hard edge.

"You are not in control of this, or me, Sakura" Itachi exclaimed.

"This isn't about power or control Itachi, we're on the same side for now, and you're injured." Sakura said.

"Sides? Chee" Itachi scoffed. "Your sympathies hamper your abilities as a ninja" Itachi told her.

"I would rather be hampered than calloused." She retorted. "Please, Itachi" She murmured.

The arm clenched, and Sakura closed her eyes fearful of getting hit. He hadn't resorted to physical violence, but to be honest she didn't know him. She wasn't completely aware of what he was capable of and though he had been kind to her, he was also the kind to murder his family. This man was dangerous because of his ability to deceive. He wasn't a master of genjutsu simply because of the Sharingan but because it confirmed his own reality, the way he lived his life. She opened her eyes startled at the feel of the buzz of her own chakra pulsing. She had access to her chakra as Itachi turned from her, stripping his fishnet shirt and tugging the black shirt over his head.

Sakura was startled only momentarily. She half smiled in success. She removed her gloves, biting the fingertips and pulling them off quickly. He turned, Sharingan eyes deadly as he viewed her cautiously. She took in his appearance, critically checking to see if there were any other injuries he was hiding from her. Satisfied that what she saw was what she was dealing with she took in the physical condition of him. _Too bad we can't heal his mind…whoever is crazy enough to kill their own family must have issues to spare_. Inner Sakura chuckled.

Her green eyes searched the expanse of pale flesh, scars lining his pale skin as she took them all in. Numerous battles had left his skin harder and even calloused in some areas from previous scarring. Normally Anbu healed their scars so as not to draw attention to themselves. Uchiha Itachi, an S class criminal, bore every one it seemed. Her fingertips brushed against the hard planes of his stomach, running across the scars, his skin softer than she would have supposed as she placed her fingertip beneath the bandage. She reached for her kunai from her waist pouch and was startled as his hands grabbed hers in a painful grip.

"Ow- Itachi, let go. I'm using the kunai to cut the bandages off" Sakura replied, as she winced at his grip.

"I don't trust you" Itachi replied, voice dark as his grip got harder trying to force her to release the kunai.

"Then do it yourself-Ahh-" Sakura exclaimed, biting her lip to keep from crying out. His rough grip loosened briefly, and Sakura was startled by how quickly he'd changed his mind. Then she saw his flushed cheeks. He was in pain, probably far more than he was letting on, if an Uchiha ever let on about their pain. His skin was clammy because he was feverish and fighting off the infection from his wound. She wondered briefly if he'd been poisoned.

"Try anything and I _will_ kill you" He stated. Sharingan met Jade eyes in deadly seriousness.

"We're on the same side, remember?" Sakura said sullenly, hating to be reminded of his more psychotic tendencies as she went to work on his wound. She used the kunai to slice through the blood soaked bandages. He flinched as she did so, apparently the idea of a kunai that close too much for the Uchiha prodigy. She ignored it, placing the kunai back in her pouch and carefully peeled away the bandages. Even with her delicate hands he still flinched and withheld a hiss of pain. Uchiha Itachi was not the sort to let anyone in on the amount of pain he was in. It must hurt something fierce. She met his eyes silently asking permission. With the slightest of nods, her fingertips traced over the damaged skin, still bleeding. The deep gash was across the left planes of his stomach, riding along his back.

"What did this?" She murmured, unable to deduce what weapon or jutsu had caused it.

"Ninja" Itachi replied simply.

"Thank you." Sakura replied sarcastically rolling her eyes. "Who?"

"Bounty Hunters, Sakura." Itachi replied. Sakura's eyes widened in astonishment

Bounty hunters were scavengers by their very nature taking the kills of others. They traveled in large enough groups to be a formidable, but small enough so that they could split and diverge. Most of them worked solo preferring to not split the spoils of their earnings. Though they cooperated with others, their allegiance ultimately rested with themselves. Many Anbu had met their end at bounty hunter's hands from trying to fulfill a mission and Sakura had a personal vendetta against most of them for the friends they'd taken from her. Many of them had tossed aside their allegiances to villages, choosing to live in mountains and forests and highly inaccessible places. And yet they continued to make a living off of the enemies of the villages and the bingo book. It was a vicious cycle one that she had never really considered before.

"What type of attack? Weapon? Jutsu?" Sakura asked, as her hands delicately probed the wound. Itachi stood stiff as a board.

"Jutsu." Itachi replied.

"Hn." Sakura replied as she examined it further.

"I'm going to use my chakra now to check for poison, clean out the wound and heal the damage" Sakura told him, placing her fingertips on his skin as she let her chakra flow and mingle.

Itachi watched her intently as she began summoning her healing chakra to channel it through her fingertips. Her hands glowed green again, lighting her face, the light reflecting in both her eyes, along her face and her hair as she crinkled her brow, pink eye brows set together firmly in concentration, as her coral lips lay askew. This was how she had looked when he'd first seen her in the forest clearing at the end of their fight. She was unaware of any of her facial expressions, so intent on her work. The skin began to heal before their eyes, Itachi's sharingan watching the chakra flow with perfect precision. He felt the fever break as her healing chakra flooded into his system numbing away the pain and throbbing and bringing a cooling sensation of relief every where her chakra touched. The intermingling of chakra within his own coils was a pleasant buzzing sensation, one he couldn't say was uncomfortable. Itachi withheld the sigh of relief but his countenance changed. She may have been a weak ninja in combat but her medical skills were…impressive, even under the all seeing sharingan. Her chakra precision fascinated him in it's intricacy and beauty and as a Sharingan wielder he could examine it in all it's art form and scientific process. Itachi's exposure to medics had been slim, but none of them had as much skill and talent as this kunoichi did. Truly her skills rivaled that of the sannin kage herself.

Sakura sighed as she noted that he was watching her with hawk eyes, those sharingan burning her with their gaze. He would never trust her it seemed. Well, she wasn't about to become paranoid. She wasn't afraid of him, and should he so choose he could kill her at any moment. This one was no different than the others, and she was doing him a favor. And honestly life without Sasuke was hard enough. There wasn't much she would miss she thought. Her heart clenched as she thought of Naruto, Kakashi, Sai and Tsunade. She may not miss much, but they were enough to live for.

The skin was clean and even scar free on and surrounding the previously affected area. "Would you like me to take care of the rest of these scars?" She asked, fingering one and looking up at him.

"Leave them" Itachi said, looking at her and turning away as he reached for his shirt, sliding it over his head. Sakura felt her chakra reseal and she sighed, irritated.

"Why?" She asked simply.

"Because not all wounds were made to be healed, Kunoichi" Itachi replied as he turned to his own pack and took out a bowl.

He sat, as the rain poured outside. Sakura had always loved the rain, loved the way it helped things grow and washed things away. Distracted she stared out of the cavern. Briefly she wondered if the smoke from the fire would attract unwanted guests but then she remembered that this was Itachi. If he was anything, it was cautious. He'd probably genjutsu-ed the surrounding area.

"I didn't know your wounds were so personal" Sakura stated as she sat down on the sleeping pad and grabbed the bowl of stew.

"There is a great deal you do not know about me, Sakura. Nor will you ever know" Itachi told her, as he ladled the soup like stew into his own bowl.

"I don't pretend to understand you, Itachi. Why anyone would keep their scars is beyond me" Sakura replied as she picked up her own bowl taking a spoonful.

She was surprised at the taste. The stew was flavorful and just a tad bit spicy as she munched on vegetables, enjoying the tang of the broth. She realized that she hadn't eaten since she'd fought and thrown up at the end of the battle. No wonder she was ravenous, she thought inhaling another spoonful. This was exceptionally good. He must know plant and herb lore. Then again this was also the man who made his own poultices, of course he would know plant and herb lore.

"That is because it is incapable of you to understand. Your sympathies make you weak. You don't hunger for battle, you loathe it because you are ashamed to take lives of other ninja who would not hesitate otherwise to take yours. The terror controls you, because you lack hate." Itachi told her.

Sakura's eyes narrowed. Incapable of understanding? Arrogant Uchiha bastard! And she wasn't afraid of battle…not in the way he was saying…Shaking her head, she was furious as she realized with a start, that she was actually evaluating what he was saying. Angered she responded.

"How dare you! I have worked my entire life to get where I am. I am a ninja _and_ a medic. I trained for countless hours of my life to be in the position I'm at. Did you ever have to work so hard?" Sakura scowled.

"I made it where you are at Kunoichi at the age of 13." Itachi replied. "You have no idea what I have done with my life and thus your own naïve assumptions at my work ethic are meaningless" Itachi replied.

"I am not ashamed of who I am, Itachi, because my efforts ensure that my precious people live." Sakura replied.

"You are so wrapped up in your emotional ties that you don't see that they bind you, hinder you. You are a walking contradiction, a ninja that gives life and takes it away. That path will splinter and diverge, and you will either take the fork in the road or it will pull you apart. You hold onto to naïve and shallow interpretations of what the leaf village has fed you to keep you from questioning. Passion blinds you." Itachi proclaimed.

"Sympathy doesn't make you weak, Itachi. Passion is what enables me to continue doing my job. The bonds I've formed have kept me alive." Sakura retorted. "And if you're going to claim that I'm naïve, then teach me" She challenged.

"You do not have enough hate" Itachi said.

"Hatred? Of what? Or of whom?" Sakura retorted, jade eyes narrowed.

"Instead of hating me, you heal me, Sakura. I am your enemy, according to your village and your own personal standards, and I was Sasuke's enemy as well. Yet you deny all of those laws for your own personal sense of justice and satisfaction. You contradict your own value system. You are more confused about your own ideology than you realize. I wonder will your village reward you, or punish you when they find out?" Itachi mused.

"I'm not confused by my loyalties Itachi, this falls under my own personal value system. I'm doing this to avenge my teammate."

"You fight for a dying dream and a dead cause."

"I fight for my village; the people I love." Sakura retorted.

"And thus I prove my point" Itachi stated, taking a bite of his stew.

"Stop twisting the things I'm saying! It's not wrong to believe in my village, my kage or my friends"

"I am challenging your view points Sakura, do you feel threatened?" Itachi pressed, eyes gleaming by the light of the fire. Itachi's barrage continued as those blood red eyes held hers.

"You speak of passion. So what of the ninja you kill? Do they not also fight for their village? Are they not also passionate for their own village and kage? Do not try to justify your kills with passionate superfluous speeches Sakura. Passion wont un-sully your hands You don't even know why you are killing, you simply execute a mission."

Sakura scowled. She _did _feel threatened. His words were so eloquent and thought out. His points drove straight home straight to the very doubts in her heart the longer she studied and the more she learned. Sakura was envious of the Uchiha in that single moment. He knew who he was and what he thought about the world. Though she couldn't understand his actions, he believed in them whole heartedly and could defend them. Sakura was startled. He had left Konoha because he had thought all of this through. For years the stories of Uchiha Itachi as a monster had been her entire existence and experience. He had left Konoha not as a blood thirsty animal but as a thinking reasoning human being. Then what had caused him to kill his family? The layered complexity to the Uchiha rocked her very foundational understanding. Shocked to the core, she lashed out wanting to make him feel the confusion she was. Wanting to prove him wrong to settle her own wounded pride.

"It's easy to criticize me. What of Akatsuki? World domination isn't exactly a just cause and you kill people all the time. Good people who try to advance the world. Tell me how your situation isn't any different from mine. You take orders from someone as well." Sakura snapped irritated that what he was saying was digging itself beneath her skin.

"You misunderstand yet again Sakura. We are two sides of the same coin. We both fight for our own worldviews, our own ideals. I am not trying to justify my killing. I take lives as needed but I do not try to idolize being a ninja and the calling it has on my life, nor do I idolize the thought process of a kage. I am a tool, and I can accept it because I know the ends towards which I work are worth the sacrifices. I know the flaws and faults of my leader as I know the strengths. I take orders for the redemption of the future. For a new world order. To regulate the chaos that the ninja villages have become. What do _you_ fight for Sakura?" Itachi retorted.

"To prove my own worth. To protect the ones I love most." Sakura replied quickly, an answer she knew and memorized in her own mind and heart.

"You fight because your kage tells you to. You operate where your kage tells you to go and when. You champion a cause that you don't even fully understand. You contradict yourself yet again. Your worth cannot be measured by a village, Sakura. Not by your own admission and individualistic ideals" Itachi said, taking a bite of

"Should I measure my worth in hate then, Itachi?" Sakura mocked.

Damn him. Damn him and his mind and philosophical notions. Why was she feeling like her world was about to fall apart? She had wrestled with her life…hadn't she? Why was he running circles around her with this philosophic notion? Why didn't she have the answers? Sakura had always considered herself intelligent, had always thought through her actions. Yet she had never thought to question the very system of ninja and the system of kages and villages. It had never occurred to her that there were problems. His thoughts disturbed her as they penetrated her to the core. She hadn't thought about it, hadn't been challenged on it from an outside opinion and the knowledge of her own weakness chaffed her as it constricted.

"You do not hate enough, Sakura. Hatred is a form of passion, the ultimate form."

"I cannot hate you, Itachi" She snapped.

"Then you do not fear me enough" Itachi said, rising as he walked out into the rain leaving Sakura to her jumbled thoughts.


	8. Glance

AN: Finals week plowed me over. I've been busy. The new 401 manga is out for Naruto. My storyline just got shot in the face. Oh well.

_The first glance is free. The second glance is admiring. The third glance will cost you_

-anonymous-

Sakura's green eyes flickered open, long black lashes shielding her eyes from the ash of the fire. Instantly aware of her surroundings her eyes darted as she used the minimal chakra she had to sweep the area. She was up and on her feet in milliseconds. She grit her teeth in frustration. Gods she hated the seal. She fingered her shoulder with another sneer of anger. She took a deep cleansing breathe and returned her focus to the situation at hand. The rain still poured steadily down outside the cave. The rain had lulled her to sleep last night after her conversation with Itachi. He had left after their conversation, presumably to sweep the area. The sky was grey, surrounded by the moisture in dense fog covering their presence within the forest. It was early still, around 5:00 in the morning.

Itachi's bedroll was empty and she could feel his chakra outside. He was training. Sakura ignored the steaming pot of porridge over the fire. It was recently made, so he couldn't have been up long. Then again assuming she knew _anything_ about Itachi was dangerous. She stretched her muscles relieved that the soreness was gone with her good nights rest. Sakura almost felt guilty. Most ninja didn't get eight hours of rest much less two. She shouldn't have slept so soundly…particularly not in the presence on an enemy…but as crazy as it was, she trusted Itachi. The fact that he still needed her gave her some leverage. She slipped her katanas back in their sheath, pulling her hair up and tying it off. She strapped her kunai holster on, splitting up the rest of her weaponry between her anbu uniform. It was worn in places from her fight with Chou, but she didn't want to wear the items from Akatsuki. She ignored the head in the sack. Fortunately the rain seemed to be overpowering the smell of rotting flesh. She ignored the thought not wanting to remember the overwhelming smell from yesterday that had caused her to loose her dinner.

She stepped outside and watched as Itachi moved fluidly through his taijutsu. Scattered senbon, kunai and shuriken told her he'd been practicing for longer than an hour. Her glance had started out innocent enough. She was curious as to how he trained. The second glance was purely professional, the medic in her needed to look him over and make sure everything was working properly from their healing session. However, the third glance didn't end. Sakura couldn't help but be observant as she stared at him.

Like every Uchiha she had ever known, he was tall, dark and attractive. _He's downright sexy_ Inner Sakura corrected. The way black clung to the features of the Uchiha should have made them plain, ordinary even by the sheer amount of it, but that coupled with their ability only seemed to enhance them, and make then stand out among peers and ninja. In Itachi's case, it matched his personality, casting an aura around him that screamed forbidden sensuality. His dark features made him stand out, commanded and demanded your attention. Itachi himself however was very quiet, and could disappear in a crowd when he wanted to. The ability to change, his chameleon like skills astounded Sakura.

He wasn't wearing his typical Akatsuki cloak, but the rest of him was soaked to the bone, making his clothing cling to him, giving her a better idea of his body form. He wore his typical fishnet shirt with black pants. Normally that wasn't anything to write home about. Most ninja wore that type of clothing. However, the way he looked, soaked to the bone revealing every muscle, every tight formed section of masculinity he had on his lithe ninja body; it forced her admiration. Sakura had seen many naked men in her many physicals. Itachi's body was artistic in it's beauty. The way he moved and the way he used his body was something straight out of an art book. Such a deadly, beautiful, killer.

Sakura's third glance still hadn't ended as she looked from under black lashes. Water dripped from his raven black hair that was pulled into that low ponytail though now drenched seemed highlighted by it's slickness, reflecting the water. Those black bangs wet with water clung to the sides of his face, but it only emphasized those deep red eyes all the more, causing them to stand out, as if a beacon in their world of green and gray. The black shirt he wore clung to him like a second skin, revealing his well muscled upper torso. She'd had seen him shirtless and even now she could remember the feel of it beneath her fingertips as her cheeks burned at the thought. Water fell off of him in droplets as he continued to move through his exercises. He ignored her, concentrated and focused on his task.

"You certainly enjoy your sleep, Kunoichi" His voice shot out, startling her.

His focus was entirely on what he was doing. Grateful that he didn't seem to notice her blush she instantly felt her blood boil at the insult. Though angered, Sakura let out a deep breath. He wanted her to start something to make a scene. He enjoyed provoking her. So instead of allowing herself to be provoked, she would change her tactics. She doubted there was move she could make that wasn't predictable but she was tired of being read so easily by the Uchiha prodigy. She had to try

"Why do you enjoy making me angry?" Sakura asked jade eyes gleaming.

"Hate is the ultimate form of passion, Sakura" Itachi reminded her with a smirk, running through the kata with ease, as he increased in speed.

"Ah yes" Sakura replied eyes narrowed, as she tried to calm the urge to pick up the tree by it's roots and beat him with it. The thought was entertaining enough to ease down the majority of her frustration.

"Your ultimate philosophy. And just how did you come up with this philosophy?" Sakura challenged, tone getting heated as she failed in calming herself down. His cruel and manipulative intellect had left it's mark on her last night, and the wound stung and burned now.

Itachi said nothing, not feeling the need to dignify it with a response. He didn't answer to her and he had no legitimate reason to. He wasn't obliged to her simply because she felt the need for information. Once again the Kunoichi was gravely mistaken about who was in control here. He would remind her of her place.

"You hold information over my head so loftily, Itachi, and then you refuse to explain. You're not who I thought you were." Sakura replied, icily.

"What makes you think I care in the slightest what you think of me, Sakura?" Itachi replied.

"Do you hate me Itachi?" Sakura challenged.

Itachi stopped his training as he realized she wouldn't stop provoking him until he did respond. The thought irked him but he supposed it might be some portion of her charm; that she was thorough. Tenacious might be a better word. He regarded her thoughtfully as his sharingan eyes took in her form. Sakura waited, hands on her hips, akimbo stanced, as she glared balefully at him.

"I hate your weakness" He replied. There was no point in continuing his training if she was going to continue and talk to distract him. She wasn't after a physical fight, no she wanted to challenge his intellect, he could tell from her demeanor. She'd learned the hard way that a physical fight would get her nowhere. If it was an intellectual battle she wanted he couldn't avoid her, but he could provoke her further. He needed to see the ranges of emotion he would have to deal with and it might as well be discovered sooner as opposed to later. So he decided to be useful and collect the masses of shuriken and kunai littered around the area.

"How do you know I am weak?" Sakura retorted, following after him.

"Because you lack hate" Itachi replied.

"But I have passion. If passion is the start of hate, then by your own accounts, I am on the path to the ultimate form." Sakura stated.

"If passion was the start, yes." He replied.

Itachi smirked. Her lack of ability as a ninja was counteracted by her quick thinking and planning. She could probably keep up with him in regards to philosophy unlike the other uncultured idiots of the Akatsuki. None of the others cared about metaphysical realities. They didn't care what they were fighting for. They simply fought like savages and wild beasts…half of them literally. Itachi mused as he gathered his weapons. He couldn't say that he was less than pleased with her, over all. She not only had excellent medic skills but she also had a very sharp mind. Her intellect alone could hone her ninja skills, giving her the ability to surpass her previous standards of excellence. She had the capability to learn, important for anyone becoming a ninja. Itachi would've argued this was the most important skill a ninja could have; the ability to learn. Her chakra control was exceptional, enhancing the ninja skill in her. Though she was naïve about Konoha, she wasn't un intelligent. She had proven her capabilities through out the Chou fight. She had tactical skill. She was young and could learn ninja skill assuming she lived past her weakness. More importantly she was teachable and formable.

Itachi's years of experience as an Anbu captain returned as he recalled training squads. He had been in charge of developing and training, honing ninja to become weapons of the sharpest steel. It was ingrained in him to see and measure people's potential. Her potential outweighed her weakness certainly. There wasn't much he could do with an idiot, except kill them. She was smart and perceptive. Many things could be done with someone like that. He could teach or more than likely train skill. He couldn't teach intelligence.

His face darkened as he thought of Konoha and the memories overtook him. His clan was dead at his hands, and he didn't regret it. It had been necessary. Anbu had been so long ago it seemed hazy and distant from where he was now in his life. He entertained the thought of doing something about her weakness. He recoiled at the thought. She was his enemy. And yet he was using her to further his goals. But she was useful for the moment. While he had scoffed at their tenuous partnership, she would still spare him the trouble of having to infiltrate Konoha on his own. She was a contact source and had access to places he could not go without difficulty. Her skill with medical expertise could be used as they looked at his little brother's dead body. That goal exceeded all the others. He must figure out what happened to Sasuke. Even if it meant cooperating with the pink haired kunoichi. More importantly she had the trust of the Hokage and he could use that to their advantage. The other important factor looming in the future was that she didn't necessarily have to stay in Konoha.

"If?" She replied, the question in her tone.

"Passion blinds you. Hate clears your head, and pushes you forward."

"Really? People tell me the exact opposite" Sakura replied.

"And you simply accept what they say without experiencing it or challenging it yourself? How very naïve" Itachi replied.

Sakura scowled. "Show me then. Teach me how your philosophy is so much better than Konoha's. Stop holding the information over my head. You contradict yourself by telling me I'm weak and then refusing to do anything about it."

"Why? What business of mine is your ignorance?" Itachi retorted, willing to allow her to entertain him with her useless praddling as he continued to collect his scattered weaponry.

"Because it will force you to test your own theory. It will reveal the features and flaws in it and in turn allow for growth on both sides. Because my weakness offends you. And in turn as someone who for the moment is on your side, it reflects on you, Itachi. If I die it will create more problems for you so teaching me will bolster my strength. Because you long for a challenge and you'll never find one bigger than me if you search the entire ninja world." Sakura said.

Itachi mused on the thought of her irritation. She had a point.Actually she had several valid points all of which buried themselves deeper under his skin and into his subconscious as he toyed with her thoughts. She certainly had potential. Was her potential future worth the risk? Itachi smirked. She would become a missing nin by the end of this anyways. It would suit him greatly to have her become an asset for the Akatsuki. Surely if she was going to be traveling with him, her weakness would become his. That was indeed a problem even if she didn't give up her pathetic sympathies towards Konoha. But more importantly she would be a challenge. It would keep his own sharp mind honed and give him a chance to gain her trust further as he fulfilled the role of a teacher. He would hone himself as he honed her, corrupted her, and utterly destroyed her from the inside out.

"Very well then" Itachi said closing his eyes.

When he reopened them, Sakura was met with the deadly pinwheels of the mangekyou.

Sakura gasped, captured already in those horrifyingly beautiful eyes. Her stomach tensed hard, as she trembled under that gaze. Was…was he going to use them on her? Was this what he meant by training? Terrified her mind replayed the look of Kakashi in the hospital over and over after he'd experienced Itachi's illusion. And then he moved away and beyond her before she could register the movement, and she recognized the flickering chakra.

"Shit!" She murmured, following after him, into the woods. They'd been followed and tailed. She'd lost track of Itachi. Suddenly she felt the seal lift and she immediately cloaked her chakra before she could give them away. She followed after the chakra signature, searching for him but he was nowhere to be found within the dense wood. A calloused hand clamped onto her, dragging her into the nitch of a tree and against a warm body. She rebelled and recoiled, trying to pull herself away and her lips opened. The same calloused hand clamped over her mouth as she tensed, ready to pound holy hell into her capturer before she recognized him. Sharingan eyes met hers, and Sakura flushed at her inability to recognize the Uchiha prodigy and their proximity, literally inches apart from one another.

"Get inside" he hissed, as part of her was still out of the nitch in the tree. Getting further inside however meant being in intimately close proximity with the Uchiha. Jade eyes looked up as her cheeks flushed.

"There isn't time. Get inside." Itachi murmured, scolding as he glared. He made the decision for her, pulling her into his arms as he allowed the genjutsu to wash over the forest and themselves. He expended quite a bit of chakra to make it believe-able. Whoever they were needed to be convinced that they were nowhere in sight or reasonable travel. It wasn't as if he didn't have the chakra to spare, and he'd prefer to fool them as opposed to fight. The less attention they attracted to themselves in this moment the easier it would be to move through out the country side. He had enough contacts and enough people knew what the Akatsuki looked like to leave well enough alone. He had the sack of chou's head next to his pack and hers stacked up behind him. The rest of their campsite he had cleared and genjutsu-ed. He grasped her closer, arm wrapping around her waist to bring her in further. The less he had to hide of them the better.

Sakura felt his arm encircle her waist bringing her closer. Startled, her hands moved up to his chest to steady herself as she hadn't been prepared for him to do that. The feeling felt foreign, on both sides, but neither had long to process that portion of their experiences. His body was un humanely warm in spite of both their clothes being wet. It burned everywhere it touched hers. Electric tingles traveled up through Sakura's system as she was in his arms. She looked up at him, nervous and uneasy. Itachi was completely focused on the task at hand, eyes moving, unseeingly as he must be tracing the others with his chakra, mangekyou bright and gleaming.

She tried to follow his example and forget the mind tingling, thought numbing heat that seemed to transfer from his body to hers at their touch. Sakura didn't dare use her chakra as she wasn't as skilled as him in cloaking it. Though she'd been adept at genjutsu, nothing she had could compare to the Sharingan. Should their followers suspect anything, they would have to fight and from what she'd sensed earlier, it wouldn't be a piece of cake. The less attention they attracted to themselves the better. She slowly, maneuvered her arms away from him, and dropped her fists to her side. She was uncomfortable with the proximity, tired of feeling so much from so little touch, and fidgeted in protest, bumping against him from lack of room.

"Stop that" He murmured pulling her closer, and she was pressed up against his chest. She glared, irritated, but his focus was once again on their enemies. Sakura's heart raced as she felt their chakra near. She moved closer to Itachi in that moment, breath racing and heavy against his neck as she stood as still as she possible could. She could hear the rustle of branches breaking as the man walked by. Her body was pressed completely against his, arms resting on either side of the hollow trunk they were sheltered by, face against his collarbone.

Itachi froze, stiffened not entirely due to the man walking past their tree. Sharingan eyes widened, shocked at his own reaction. Every where her hot breathe touched lit electric tingles surfaced beneath his skin, warm and nearly sharp with painful longing. She was pressed fully against him, which did little to ease his overactive imagination and the thoughts that weren't coming from the logical rational side of him. He could feel every curve, though she was tense against him. Her hands shifted and were back on his chest applying a delicate but deliciously warm pressure with her calloused fingertips spurring electric tingles in the shape and depth of Kakashi's chidori along his skins surface in spite of the clothing. Clothing did little to brace him against her touch and in fact with his all seeing sharingan revealed every dip on her curvaceous body.

Her hair was so close to his, practically touching and he was close enough that he could smell the forest in her hair. Briefly he wondered if the bubblegum strands would be a soft as they had always looked, a fact he hadn't meant to acknowledge in his thoughts, much less his eyes. Her neck was so close that if he bent down just a bit his lips would be in reach, able to taste if she was as good as she felt against him and the completely irrational side wondered how she would taste. He licked his lips, mouth suddenly dry at the thought. Her breath on his neck, the proximity of her lithe body pressed tight against his, made his body hyper aware of just how long it had been since he'd visited the brothels and relieved himself of his more human wants and desires. Then again had it _ever_ felt this electrifying? The feel of someone so close to him? Dear gods it was indecent how distracted he was by the simply physical pressure she applied.

Green eyes hesitantly looked up, into molten red Sharingan, that looked back at her with intensity. It appeared that all of the focus of those deadly beautiful pin wheeled Mangekyou Sharingan were focused solely and intently on her. She would've have been flattered that he was focusing his entire attention upon her, or perhaps had some angry retort if she wasn't so perpetually and hopelessly lost in those ruby eyes, ruby eyes that were nothing like Sasuke's; he looked nothing like Sasuke in this moment and yet Sakura's heart still fluttered and twittered. He was not Sasuke and yet her heart was doing backflips and she didn't care, couldn't care in her paralyzed state.

Sakura was locked in that gaze as he drew her closer, if such a thing were possible, crushing her chest against his as he moved his face steadily closer. It didn't matter that Sakura couldn't breathe. Her breath was lost for the moment regardless. The temperature of the small hollow within the tree they were hidden in rose exponentially, or so it seemed as her entire body burned with proximity of his, electric tingles jolting her into awareness of him. Her breath hitched at the move, but she was trapped. His lips opened slightly, and she could hear his own sharp intake of breath as he bent down, pressing his cheek against hers as his breath trickled down her ear and neck. His lips were so close to her neck she could nearly feel them, feel the warmth radiating from them and her hands moved up and around his neck intent to bury themselves in his hair, before she knew was she was doing. He froze, literally tensed and stiffened against her, and she froze as well.

The man outside the tree was staring right at the trunk, eyeing it. They held their breaths, his lips still dangerously close to her neck. She could feel her heart beat thrumming through out her body, sweat trickling from the heat she felt outside of her body and within as she tensed, waiting. The man left, and both exhaled the breaths they'd been holding shallowly so as not to draw attention. Itachi's grip on her waist tightened bringing her closer again, lips near her ear.

"Do not move until I tell you. He's still within the vicinity" He whispered. His hot breath on her ear caused her to shiver.

"Are you ill?" He murmured, not entirely concerned for her so much as attracted to her presence.

"No" she replied, standing on her toes to murmur in his ear so she wouldn't alert their enemies to their presence. "I'm just cold" she lied as she drew closer.

Itachi said nothing further, paying attention to their enemies as the other part of his brain registered the warmth of her body, the smell of her presence near him. For once in his life he cursed his hyper senses.

"Now" He said, launching himself out of the hollow hole in the tree. Sakura noticed his lack of presence immediately as she shivered from the cold. Picking up her pack, she launched herself after him, wondering what on earth had just happened and more importantly, what it meant. They traveled hard and fast going deeper into the forest as they leapt from branch to branch.

"Where are we headed?" she asked when Sakura felt it was safe to speak.

"To get the bounty." Itachi replied simply.

"We're going to sand?"

Itachi shook his head.

"Then where?" Sakura retorted, frowning.

"You know nothing of hunting, do you?" Itachi challenged, fixing a red sharingan eye on her. He'd released the Mangekyou.

Sakura bristled. "You have to turn in the head to the country-"

Itachi chuckled. "Each country has outposts for these sort of things. Traveling with something this valuable all the way back to sand country is impractical and dangerous even for the best of ninja. We are heading there" He said.

Sakura said nothing, hating how he could throw her off balance so easily. Outposts? That meant they were going into dangerous territory.

Itachi stopped, forcing Sakura to halt herself with chakra. "Why are we stopping?"

Itachi was putting on his Akatsuki hat and robe. "Put yours on" He ordered simply.

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "No"

Like hell she was going to just do as he asked. She wasn't about to wear that again. She had her pride. He wasn't in control of her.

Itachi sighed. Of course she was choosing to be difficult. It appeared that he would have to explain this in simpler terms so she could comprehend the gravity of the situation at hand.

"You don't seem to understand. You will die if you enter in Anbu uniform." Itachi informed her

"Where are we going?" Sakura asked. She had a right to know.

"Neutral territory" Itachi replied non descriptly. He was already plotting their course and how long it would take them to reach it. They would make significantly better time if she would do as she was told.

"Where?" Sakura retorted.

"No where friendly to leaf nin" Itachi said.

"Damn it, Itachi. Where?" Sakura demanded. She had to know.

"The outskirts of Sound" He replied, sharingan eyes whirling as they looked out on the horizon. The sun was just rising.

Sakura paled. "Orochimaru…"


	9. The Enemy of My Enemy

AN: It's been craazzzy. Life is busy and there's drama all around. Updates will be few and far between till life settles down some.

"_The enemy of my enemy is my friend"-anonymous-_

Sakura leapt from branch to branch after the frenzied paced mangekyou wielder. Uchiha Itachi moved gracefully, with a feline like quality to his strides. Each move was timed to perfection not wasting an ounce of muscle movement. He was deliberate and intentional even in the midst of motion. It shouldn't have surprised Sakura so much. Uchiha Itachi was a man of calculation and perfection so of course his movement would encompass his own philosophical notions. In spite of her admiration for his incredible work ethic and even his own fulfillment of personal goals and philosophy, the bastard was out distancing her by far. He was moving quickly and Sakura was tiring simply trying to keep up with him, though she would die before admitting it.

As she turned her head from checking her surroundings, her green eyes widened, reflexes taking action. He stopped abruptly, forcing her to use her chakra to assist her, mainly so she wouldn't run through the idiot. Sakura scowled. The arrogant bastard had probably done it just to prove he could. He'd probably also seen her looking at his strides. Sakura's scowl deepened. She was simply getting to know everything she could about him so she could document it for the benefit of Konoha's sake. Once they figured out who had done this to Sasuke, she would make sure Akatsuki would fall. She owed Naruto that much.

The thought of her blonde companion left a swift ache in her heart. She pushed it aside. She was in enemy territory and needed to focus. She glared daggers at the Uchiha prodigy in front of her. She supposed he had allowed her use of her chakra as they ran simply because he probably didn't know what they were going to run into. The arrogant Uchiha didn't want to waste any of his precious chakra and have to unseal her should they run into something unpleasant. Sakura had been half tempted to use her own chakra on the Uchiha Bastard, only she'd realized they shared a mutual problem. If she used her chakra on him she would be down the precious chakra going into sound's territory and that was a worse option then getting her kicks by pounding the Prodigy senseless. Their relationship was already complicated as it was. Glaring at him malevolently, the question was clear in her eyes. _Why did we stop?_

"We are here" He told her simply, adjusting his straw hat, white linens hanging down covering his face. Even still, all of his movements were deliberate, cool and collected, as his own exterior. He glanced at his shorter companion.

The petite petal haired medic nin was defiantly sullen, as she looked out at sound's territory. It wasn't surprising given Sasuke's history with the snake sannin that she would hold a grudge against the entire village. She had that sort of vindictive personality brewing within her to fit the type. She seemed to have a knack at doing that. He could see the stiffness in her form that she would rather be anywhere than here right now. Fortunately for him, she wasn't voicing her complaints. The girl needed to learn how to guard her emotions lest they be used against her. Itachi stored the information away for later. Her entire body language spoke of her insecurity and hatred and neither were Akatsuki worthy qualities. She could blow their cover simply by being herself. How she could hold such strength, chakra control, and perfection while being so utterly weak and vulnerable never ceased to fascinate him and infuriate him when her weaknesses were forced upon him.

Sharingan eyes took in the details of the girl as she used those delicate calloused hands to pull her hair back and adjusted her hat to better cover her bright pink hair and jade green eyes. Those hands could crush through bone and splinter trees as he had experienced in the past few days. The white linens draped down from the hat in white linen waterfalls, effectively cloaking her and muting her brightly colored features. Her eyes glowed a dark hard green as she looked up at him. How she managed to be a ninja with bright pink hair he would never know. The girl was a walking contradiction, weak, bright, optimistic and happy natured. Such purity among ninja he had never seen before and it irked him were he honest about it. Her personality did not befit a ninja, much less Anbu member and yet here she stood resplendent as both ninja, anbu, and more. She should have been quieter, stealthier, less prone to emotion. These things began to wear on him as he realized the precarious situation he'd put himself in.

He had accepted her weakness as his own. As he had trapped her, so she had trapped him, continued to as she wove some sort of spell around him. No, she didn't have that much of an affect on him. _Not yet anyways…_ Itachi brushed _that_ particular thought aside, refusing to acknowledge it within the depths of his mind. There was no need to overcomplicate things by letting things go_ that_ route. Itachi was a man of discipline. He had achieved this much through personal discipline and sacrifice. He needed the girl and she needed him. There relationship…no their temporary alliance was mutually exclusive for only a short amount of time. _She must die after all of this_ he reminded himself.

Sharingan eyes continued to take a look at his foul tempered ally as he accessed their mission and double checked both their weaponry. The cloak clung to her snugly, and it fit right, the hem right where it needed to be, not dragging on the ground, yet still covering her from neck to toe. He was pleased with his choice of cloaks from the linen closet back at headquarters. It seemed the cloak suited her. Smirking, he turned away. He wasn't about to tell her that the cloak had been Sasori's. In spite of her weakness and frailty, the petite medic nin had managed to take out Sasori. It chaffed him to think of it, but she'd done him a favor by taking out the annoying puppet master.

Sasori had an unnerving talent of deducing information he shouldn't have. The meddling sand child had pried a bit too closely into Itachi's business at times leaving a tense atmosphere even amongst the Akatsuki. It was fitting that she wore the coat. She had all of her weapons on her person. Itachi focused on the areas she had concealed them eyes lingering a little longer than truly necessary. She was at best annoying and at worst distracting. Itachi nearly frowned at the thought as he strode forward. How had she buried herself within his subconscious so deeply?

"Itachi? Where exactly are we going?" Sakura asked, as she followed after him.

"The marketplace." Itachi replied, eyes straight ahead on their destination.

"They keep their black market in the marketplace?!" Sakura exclaimed.

Itachi merely shot her a look and Sakura returned it with a glower. It wasn't obvious to her even if it was clearly evident to him that they would have the drop off point in the middle of the marketplace. She should have supposed that sound would defy all normal rules and laws of villages. The thought made her fist clench. Because Orochimaru had defied those laws, Sasuke had been attracted to him; had left her and Naruto for more power. Then she unclenched her fist. Sasuke was dead. _Dead_. He wasn't coming back. She needed to focus on her task at hand.

"Sakura" Itachi called to her for the second time, irritated that she was lost in her thoughts instead of paying attention to the present.

"Eh?" Sakura replied, hearing him, as her thoughts cleared.

Itachi sighed.

"Stop sulking." He ordered. Emerald green shot him a look that burned. She was such a spit fire, with a myriad of emotions. It fascinated him; her simple complexity. She was predictably unpredictable; a woman of many paradoxes. The longer he was around her, the more his mind burned in ambition to figure her out. It wasn't against his philosophy to solve a puzzle, and what bigger puzzle than the paradox standing before him. He would, of course. Puzzles and intricacies were things he solved with ease. She would be no different. And once he had, he would break her down and destroy her as ordered.

"When we enter sound, you need to look imposing. Try to remember that you are posing as an Akatsuki member. You look down to no one" He said, fingers curling beneath her chin to force those eyes to look at him.

Sakura was surprised that he'd actually touched her. His calloused hands grazed beneath her chin, his touch warming her entire face. She wouldn't have supposed he was capable of such a tender gesture. The moment shattered as jade eyes lit. She was instantly on guard. He hadn't reached for a weapon, but this was Uchiha Itachi, he didn't need to. Her hand clenched into a fist summoning chakra into them to be safe. When had she grown so paralyzed to his presence that he no longer posed a threat to her? Furious at herself she redoubled her efforts to stay on guard. Her shishou had told her the story of a boiling frog when it came to enemy ninja. Currently she was breaking all of her shishou's rules. In turmoil, Sakura bit her lip. Those Sharingan eyes gave her an amused look, able to see, and sense the chakra she had summoned. She was smart in not allowing him to get too close to her, and not trusting his proximity. Perhaps putting on the cloak had reminded her of who she was and more importantly who he was.

Green eyes narrowed, irritated but refusing to show him how uncomfortable she was at him touching her. His smirk widened.

"Keep your hands hidden, and have a weapon in your hands, using your cloak to hide the movement." Itachi continued, releasing her chin and red gaze sweeping back over the village.

"Do not speak to anyone. Do not make direct eye contact with anyone. Do not let anyone touch you, your hat, or your cloak. Let your aura go before you and do not shield your chakra"

"Don't shield my chakra?" Sakura replied, skeptically. Was he crazy?

"Are you incapable of hearing, Kunoichi?"

"You know damn well by now Itachi that my name is Sakura and you owe me an explanation. Walking in uncloaked will peg me"

"In sound, people use your chakra to access you. Hunter nins come in and out of sound all the time and prospective employees typically mingle around the area. No one shields their chakra necessarily when they step inside the city because it helps them in the process."

"So if I cloak my chakra, I'll stick out like a sore thumb?" Sakura concluded with a grimace.

Itachi nodded. "and prove you are not a frequenter of the sound village, doubling the suspicion. We should be able to pass through without much notice, as your chakra levels are not that impressive. Once again, say nothing, even if you are addressed." Itachi warned her.

Sakura glared at the insult and added her own.

"Much notice? Akatsuki garner notice wherever they go." Sakura replied with a glare.

Itachi didn't reply, merely set out at a leisurely pace towards the village.

"Not cloaking my chakra seems backwards and dangerous. There are stronger people in sound than us, are there not?" Sakura asked.

"There are not many who choose to interfere with Akatsuki."

"Not many? Which means there are some who _will_ choose to interfere?" Sakura asked, a sinking feeling developing in the pit of her stomach. Her question was never answered as Itachi continued forward entering within chakra sensing range of the village. And just what the hell did he mean by necessarily cloak their chakra. Sakura's brow furrowed as her lip curled in a sneer of irritation.

"Itachi" Sakura hissed as she followed after him.

Red eyes shot her an intense look, and Sakura bit her lip in frustration. It was clear he wasn't planning on explaining. Fine, if he wasn't going to tell her anything then she'd figure it out herself. _Asshole _Inner Sakura growled with gusto. Shaking her head irritably, Sakura schooled her features, sticking her head up, back straight and keeping a hand on her kunai, her chakra at hand and readily available. She could only imagine the kinds of dangers she was walking into and she thanked her lucky stars that she had trained so hard. Her chakra signature would be intimidating enough to keep them back…at least she hoped it would. One didn't make anbu unless a certain level of strength and skill was achieved. But everyone in sound was either a hunter nin or a missing nin, meaning they had to be strong enough to surpass that, and live long enough not to be killed off by other nin. Granted she was an anbu captain but could she count on her skills to counter that? Was she skilled enough to pose as an Akatsuki?

Itachi was grateful that she finally picked up on the fact that she needed to be appropriate. Sound was a dangerous place. Had they not needed the bounty money to make their story plausible he wouldn't have risked to come here. But coming here was closer than going to sand and they could proceed from here via secret ways to Konoha. He had no desire to venture anywhere near the desert which would take them further from Konoha's borders and his destination; his brother's grave. The shortest and quickest way was to deal with sound. It was bad enough that he would be returning to Konoha with the pink haired nin. Even in death his foolish little brother was causing complications, but his death had to be known and discovered. The sharingan could not be allowed to fall in the wrong hands. Itachi would find out who had killed his little brother, and make sure that they served no further a threat to him, or to the Akatsuki. He'd come too far.

Sakura peered carefully around her as they wandered into the marketplace. Kunai in hand and chakra accessible she felt better than she had in days. The city was teeming with ninja, all elite s class criminals. Some of them were sound nin but she was surprised at the amount of ninja from all over and the amount of missing nin present within the city. Sakura stored her observations, carefully tracing over buildings and making a mental map in her mind for Konoha.

Itachi strolled the streets casually. He had no need to fear so long as the medic nin was cautious. He knew she was carefully observing and noting every detail she picked up. It didn't particularly matter to him. Since the snake sannin had betrayed akatsuki they had been on shaky terms. The fact that Akatsuki wandered in and out of his territory was on shaky terms at best and more often than not scuffles between the two sides had broken out at times. These never seemed to bother the snake bearing sound kage though because he was amused at such antics and felt it kept up the moral within his ranks. The longer the snake sannin lived, the more Itachi suspected mental illness. There had to be side effects from transferring bodies so often, especially if the snake sannin had transferred into a body with mental illness already a genetic factor. Itachi's lip nearly curled in distaste. Orochimaru was an annoyance that, eventually, would be dealt with. Until then, Itachi would bide his time and continue to fulfil missions.

Sakura's green eyes took everything in with awe and wonder. Orochimaru was no fool. Everything, from the buildings to the marketplace they were wandering in, was set up with care and deliberation. In her intent to take in as much as possible and wanting to catalogue it all in her mind for further use, she bumped straight into another nin. He was taller than her, which wasn't very hard to do, well built as with most ninja men, with dark purple eyes and dark raven black hair. He was tan and scarred and that scarred face glared at her as he moved back.

She gasped, backing up.

"Oye- watch it you-" The larger man paused, as he took in site of the petite Akatsuki member eying her from head to toe as he might a common whore. She was petite, short, and the akatsuki robes did little to reveal the womanly curves she must have hiding beneath the layers of fabric. She must have been new because this certainly wasn't Konan, whom would've shredded him in an instant for the insult of touching her. Grinning evily, he accessed her chakra and decided it would be worth the effort to add some insult to the Akatsuki by taking out their newest member. Plus it would make his own hunting reputation go up.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" He said, giving her a toothy grin, as he licked his lips.

Sakura did not like the way the nin was looking her up and down. He was disgusting, covered with scars and the typical male asshole. He probably frequented the pubs as much as he did the prostitutes. Jade eyes hardened as Inner Sakura screamed her encouragement to pummel the guy's ass as his chakra rose alarmingly. Itachi's words came back to mock her _Not many my ass! _She thought with irritation_. _Her grip on her kunai hardened, and with that look the other man's grin widened as he gripped his own weapon. Sakura flinched, hardening into a stance mimicking the other man's movements.

"I have no quarrel with you. Let me pass and go about my business" Sakura said simply.

"Girly, I'm making it your business to deal with me" He leered, grinning.

"Do you not know who I am?" Sakura hissed, pointing to her attire.

"I know exactly who you are. The newest Akatsuki recruit and my newest kill." He retorted.

Sakura blanched. Damn it. The irony of the situation was not lost on her. A random nin starting trouble with her over Akatsuki business was definitely not a situation she had ever imagined herself in. The crowds in the streets had given them space for the battle, some of them sound nins who were drunk and taking bets. Sakura grimaced. They were supposed to pass through swiftly without drawing notice and now she was going to have a god damn street brawl. They…Where was Itachi? She looked around for him and he was no where to be seen. Cursing herself for being so caught up in planning for Konoha that she had lost Itachi, she glared at her attacker. Green eyes hardened as her resolve rose, gripping her kunai numbly, preparing herself for a fight. Should she kill the man to prove herself Akatsuki worthy or would that leave her more noticeable? She didn't even know if this city had a rule against killing other nin, but she hadn't even started this. She shouldn't let him leave because even by seeing her, he'd already compromised her cover. Damn it! Where the hell was the Sharingan wielding bastard and why had he left her?

Sakura dodged and tumbled as he threw kunai, initiating the fight. She threw her own kunai to deflect the three coming as she readied herself for the symbols she'd need for this fight. His hand went for his sword and Sakura stopped her hand seals mid rabbit. She'd need to end this and quick. Muttering a string of swear words, Sakura summoned chakra into her hands to break the ground and make a run for it, to hell with Itachi when she sensed another attack. Eyes darting in the sky for that's where it was coming from she honed in on an object. Apparently her attacker had honed in on it too, which meant it wasn't from a friend of his. She supposed she could take slight consolation in the thought, but it didn't mean it wasn't an enemy of hers either. The object moved with startling speed, nose diving for them both. Sakura braced herself, preparing herself for whatever it was but realized that she wasn't the objective. Was it a bird? Yes, she could make out the wings as it darted closer. Moving with startling speed, the bird landed and Sakura was able to get a better view of it. The clay bird, preening as it did so, perched itself on his shoulders causing the man to tense. It's mouth opened to peck the man on the neck, but no sound escaped the clay like creature. Sakura's stomach clenched in familiar recognition. That meant he was close by, didn't it?

"Nagashima Kyo, was it?" A familiar voice sounded, parting the crowd of people as they murmured and continued on their way, apparently afraid of the newcomer.

"Fuck you, Akatsuki trash." Nagashima snarled, utter hatred painted on his scarred face. He was sweating, terrified as the bird continued to walk along his shoulders.

Deidara grinned, his crazed smile widening, blue eyes fierce in their intensity.

"Don't push me, Kyo. My little friend there could level the marketplace, and thus splatter your brains on Orochi's pretty little statue in less time than it takes you to piss your pants, Yeah." Deidara smirked. "He'd probably find it funny too."

Kyo's eyes narrowed, and his jaw clenched, but he seemed to accept it.

"What's it gonna take to call your little friend off." He ordered, through pursed lips.

"Take a walk Nagashima, as soon as you are outside of sound, my friend will leave, Yeah." Deidara replied.

Kyo's eyes narrowed.

"How do I know you're not lying?" He pressed.

"You Don't. You weigh your worth against your own idiocy and you place your bets where they lie" Deidara replied. "Get moving" He motioned with his thumb.

"You'll regret this" Kyo snarled.

"Doubtful,Yeah, but if you ever lay another hand weapon or otherwise on Akatsuki you'll find it missing before you wake up." Deidara replied with a shrug as he sauntered towards Sakura.

Sakura didn't drop her guard but she was mindful of the fact that she needed to keep up the act of being an Akatsuki member and that normal Akatsuki members wouldn't flee from each other or start a fight in the midst of sound.

"I didn't need your help." Sakura ground out, eyes darting for a quick escape.

"Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that, Yeah." Deidara replied, as he grabbed her arm, forcefully taking her through the crowd, though he played it off well. Sakura winced, but couldn't afford to fight close combat in such a deadly place. She also couldn't abandon her cover, not at this point.

"That's right pinky, you're following where I'm leading to avoid further trouble. And while you're at it you're gonna explain to me why you're dressed in our garb and what the hell that Uchiha bastard wants with you in the first place and why you're not dead yet." Deidara whispered, cloak hiding his mouth.

"I don't owe you shit" Sakura replied.

"Wrong answer, yeah." Deidara's grip on her arm tightened, and she stiffened in pain as he led her down an alley. He threw her against the concrete walls hard, the walls cracking around her as she gasped, his grip on her throat tight.

"Uhn. Why are Konoha nin always so fuckin' annoying, Yeah?." Deidara grumbled. And then those Blue eyes widened in a look that was frightened and then excited.

"I warned you once, Deidara. I did not think to have to do so again" Itachi's smooth voice called out, his body casting a shadow along them.

Sakura could have fainted with relief. Deidara let go of her immediately, his own mouthed hands beginning to form clay, herself forgotten for the moment in the presence of the Uchiha Prodigy. Sakura coughed, rubbing her hands across her neck where his mouthed hand had been…licking her and biting her. Shuddering she laced her hands with healing chakra and wiped off the saliva. She pulled another kunai from her holster, chakra ready to wipe Deidara's ass across the alleyway. She felt the chakra coil in the two and frowned. This was not the place to draw attention to each other. She stepped in the middle of the two.

"Stir up old trouble between you two later, drawing attention to ourselves here is not the best of ideas." Sakura stated, eyeing the two.

"She's right. We can settle old scores later." Itachi replied, eyeing the crazed blonde.

"The hell we will, Uhn. Why is she in our garb?" Deidara snapped.

"It's a part of _my_ mission." Itachi replied the insult apparent in the fact that Deidara wasn't trusted enough to be in on it. Deidara's eyes narrowed. Sakura frowned at the exchange between the two. She didn't trust Deidara enough to let her guard down. He was crazy enough to pull something stupid even in the midst of sound. He had proved a wild card before.

"Uhn. Don't think Leader sama won't hear about what you're doing Itachi. I plan on giving him a very _detailed_ report, Yeah." Deidara spat.

"It will be a welcome change from your typical reports, I'm sure." Itachi replied in turn as the fiery blonde shoved past him, hitting his shoulder.

Itachi sighed and fixed his blood red Sharingan on her.

"I believe I told you to make eye contact with no one, to speak to no one, to touch nothing" Itachi replied, tone scathing as he walked towards her.

Sakura felt her back hit the wall, unaware that she had been retreating. His tone was harsh and she could feel the chakra teaming beneath the surface. Uchiha Itachi may not have shown his anger but she could feel it, beating down on her simply from his chakra fluctuation.

"You left me to fend for myself, and someone decided to start something. Then Deidara interfered and dragged me off. Maybe you should keep better track of your partners" Sakura retorted, stabbing her finger into his chest. She refused to be intimidated by him, and he still needed her. She wasn't about to be pushed over by him.

Red eyes narrowed, and he had her hand over her head, pinned to the wall in an instant, his other hand bearing a kunai against her own kunai which she'd used to parry his as he backed her into the wall. His hand burned against hers, and Sakura fought the flush she felt rising from his meer proximity. People had died from giving Uchiha Itachi so much as a glare, much less the sass she was giving him and the knowledge made her giddy, and smug. He needed her, as much as she needed him and she wasn't going to put up with his superiority complex anymore. _Shannaro!_ Inner Sakura encouraged with gusto.

"I'd make some crude joke but I have a feeling it wouldn't be appreciated, Uchiha." A voice called out. Itachi didn't turn, merely glared at Sakura, who returned the gesture with feeling.

"I'm glad my message went through. Lead us" He said, turning from Sakura, and grabbing her arm, appearing to the man's eyes, a gentlemen as he led Sakura on. Sakura clenched her teeth in indignation and followed along. She could do little else and maybe she could prod Itachi's guide into giving up information. She would cut her losses and take what she could at this point.


	10. Reaction

AN: I added a few sentences in chapter nine and finally finished this one. I'm glad we're beyond the first couple of chapters. I feel like I can really start having some fun now..hehe.

"_For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction_"- Sir Isaac Newton

There was nothing Sakura could do but be led by the arrogant Uchiha prodigy. His hand was on hers, his touch firm and burning her as she held onto him. She could feel every muscle bunch and tense in Itachi's calloused hands. Hell she knew every muscle hands had and could name the ones that were tensing; his hand laced in hers. She could tell simply from their touch that he'd broken this particular hand more than once. Mystery surrounded Itachi, cloaked him in an aura that drew others to him. Then his personality, his attitude repelled them. Uchiha seemed to have a grand talent for being assholes to everyone they met. So_ why_ had _he_ grabbed _her _hand? She had no answer, as with much that Itachi did. The lack of information was starting to irk her. _Shannaro!_ Inner Sakura agreed with gusto.

Regardless, fighting about it and throwing a fit here wouldn't get her information. She wondered if there was a reason he was always so unnaturally warm. The stray thought caught Sakura off guard. She had been spending far too much time trying to understand the psychopath as it was. But the problem buried itself deep under her skin. Even as a child growing up she'd heard horror stories of the big bad Uchiha that had slain his entire clan. She wanted to understand him, wanted to know why he was the way he was, and why he did what he did. She wanted to get beyond the surface level and penetrate the shield of bitterness and cynicism he wore as a cover. She also was fascinated as a medic with the way his eyes worked. The medic in her wanted to find out why he was unnaturally warm. If she so much as summoned chakra to examine him, she knew he would turn on her. It would be too much of a gamble to assume he wouldn't attack her in front of their "guest".

Wishful thinking was simply that, wishful thinking. She peered at the shorter older man. He was an older, short man, covered in a nondescript khaki shift and short pants with straw sandals. He was tan, and his eyes were small and black. He had a scattering of gray hair across his balding head, and a black mustache with a graying gotee. Other than that there was nothing about this man that would have drawn anyone to his appearance. Sakura's guard doubled. Some people possessed the natural ability to blend with the crowd. This man was as such, and it made Sakura uneasy as she kept her eyes sharp on the details surrounding them and where this small man was leading them.

She sought a better look at their host other than his nondescript appearance. He himself was thin man. He had no weaponry on him that she could notice, and he carried nothing with him. His pants were held up by a simple rope. His face was calm, lined with age and drawn. His countenance was cool, poised, and calculated. He walked with definite steps, a man assured of who he was and where he was going. His eyes, beneath the spectacles he wore were dark and intelligent. Whoever he was, he blended with the crowd when he needed to, but possessed a presence of great importance. Sakura glanced at the crowds. No one bothered the man, or gave them odd looks, Akatsuki cloaks aside. He was certainly local, but familiarly local which stood out among the things she'd observed. A firm grip on her hand and Itachi was leading her through the throng and mesh of people and out of her observations. She kept her wits about her as they passed through the crowds, hoping no one was stupid enough to steal from them.

Sakura followed along, adjusting her hat so that the linens could cover her eyes better as she made her way through. She tried to focus not only on her basic surroundings, but the buildings as well. All of these things would be important to note for Konoha's use, though how she would explain how she came across the information, Sakura hadn't a clue. _Guilty by association _Inner Sakura chided. '_Shut it! We're in this together and I don't remember you complaining as you were slightly preoccupied with oogling the Uchiha's ass'_

_Worth it!_ Inner Sakura snickered.

Sakura scowled, irritated by her traitor subconscious. It did little to improve her mood as she looked out upon the country Orochimaru had gained for himself. There were so many guards and sentries posted everywhere, and the mocking little music note on everyone's hitai ate was starting to annoy her. She wanted to be out of here and done as soon as they possible could.

"I wasn't aware the Akatsuki ever switched partners" The old man stated thoughtfully as he led them.

"Only in extenuating circumstances, Okinawa san, or death." Itachi replied conversationally.

"Which ever comes first then eh? So where's old fish face? He gone to meet the death god yet?" Okinawa asked, as they crossed the street.

Sakura could have laughed as she envisioned Kisame putting up with the old man calling him fish face. She couldn't imagine very many could call him that and live to tell the tale. It made her wonder at the nature of this man, who he was and how he commanded the respect and attention of so many nin in sound, as well as the notice and specific attention of the Akatsuki. It made him triply dangerous and worth knowing more about.

"Kisame is alive and well." Itachi replied, as his eyes darted, scanning the faces of people passing by.

"Then she's your extenuating circumstance?" He asked, eying Sakura with a hint of a smile.

"Aren't all new recruits?" Itachi replied, a ghost of a smirk sliding across his features.

Had Sakura not been so surprised by the fact that first he was speaking more than monosyllabic sentences to someone, and second he was speaking politely and not sarcastically to that very same person, she might have been offended. She was also slightly startled by his near smile tugging at the corners of his lips. It made his entire face softer and more approachable. As it was though she was too caught up in remembering the details on individual instances of the conversation to remember to get worked up over minute details. And if she pummeled his ass here it would draw too much attention. _Shannaro…_Inner Sakura swooned, earning another mental wince.

"You say extenuating circumstance so calmly. Is all not well in the Akatsuki with Konoha and Suna now combining their efforts?" Okinawa asked.

Sakura smirked and the feeling helped her get a handle hold on her anger. She liked the old man already, which was a pity because he was probably an enemy that she would have to turn in later. Still, he was observant and knew how to get the Uchiha to start in and of itself was something short of a miracle. Part of it might have simply been the business relationship they maintained, but she suspected otherwise, because the Uchiha was relaxed around him…well, as relaxed as an Uchiha ever was.

"The circumstance has nothing to do the organization itself or it's enemies. I was referring to the time and energy it takes to train a new recruit and to assimilate them into Akatsuki"

"Ah. Does the new recruit have a name?" Okinawa asked, peering back at Sakura.

"Yes, it's Sa-

"Sayuri" Itachi finished for her.

"Does the girl not know her own name?" Okinawa replied, eyebrows lifting.

"Should she use her name here, it would not be wise. Surely you understand our precautions" Itachi replied, casting a disapproving glance at Sakura.

"And yet she walks the streets. What exactly have you brought me into, Uchiha san?" Okinawa asked, a slight frown appearing on his forehead. He looked older when he frowned, black eyes drooping a bit.

"Nothing that will endanger our relations with you, or your place here in sound." Itachi replied confidently.

Okinawa did not look like he agreed, but said nothing further as he led them south west, towards the outer skirts of sound territory.

Nothing further was said from either of them until they entered a larger building on the outskirts. Itachi's eyes met hers and the unspoken communication was clear. _Be on your guard. _

Her green eyes sparkled with acknowledgement as her grip on her kunai tightened and she reached inside of herself to feel the comforting buzz of chakra through out her system. His hand on hers became warm with his own chakra buzzing through his veins. Sakura could feel it pulse in their contact and it oddly gave her great comfort. She wondered if her chakra did the same for him.

They made their way inside, led through a few of the rooms to a larger assembly room decorated with elegant chairs and furnishings. Sakura was already calculating the amount of weapons in the room, as several shinobi with potent chakra lingered, leering at their guests. Sakura was surprised by the talent of his hired help. Whoever they were being taken to see, the man must be someone of great importance to afford them. Sakura was startled when Okinawa had a seat in the center of the room. Her eyes widened. Their boss had lead them through the streets? He had personally made an appearance?! She felt Itachi step forward, half a shoulder in front of her, as if he was shielding her. What did it profit him, by pretending to protect her? Her gloved hands itched in irritation as she clenched them. She could take care of herself when it came to a fight.

"Uchiha san, I'm greatly disappointed in the relationship of our businesses." Okinawa stated from his stone throne like seat.

Itachi's face was calm as it was said. Why was he still holding onto her hand? Sakura avoided frowning.

"You bring a stranger, straight into sound territory, stretching political relations with the clans and my own humble business. You lead her right to the doorsteps of my home, expecting me to welcome her with open arms?" He challenged.

"I wasn't aware that you were dealing with Akatsuki on an individual basis, Okinawa san." Itachi replied keeping his tone free of irritation or anger. Itachi was already troubleshooting why he thought the old man was throwing a fit now based on the rumors he'd heard and his own information from what he knew of.

"You _Know_ why I am. You automatically assumed, Uchiha." Okinawa retorted.

Itachi's eyebrow rose, as the man breached his politeness and became frank.

Sakura did frown this time. From what he'd said she could only deduce that Akatsuki wasn't as neat and clean as Itachi wanted to paint it. What kind of division was there in Akatsuki? He had told her during her captivity that they were an organization of individuals but if Okinawa was being conservative in who he approached and how, then there had to be issues involved related to that. Had Okinawa had bad business with Akatsuki in the past? Sakura's ears were wide open as she carefully memorized each line spoken.

"As a business man, I choose the relationships with business partners in order to protect my own investments and take care of the obligations of those relying and depending on me. You overstepped your bounds and took away my choice!" Okinawa said.

"You choose Business relationships to protect yourself. Akatsuki is an organization of individuals. If you cannot trust me then how should our business relationship continue?" Itachi pressed.

"Your organization is very aware of the ramifications of destroying our partnership" Okinawa replied.

"That was not an ultimatum. I do not wish to destroy our business relationship Okinawa san. I sought you out because I knew that there was no other I could seek to relieve such a delicate and simple matter. I appeal to you now on the foundation of our partnership." Itachi said.

"I refuse respectively of course. I can no longer guarantee the safety of you or your members within sound territory" Okinawa replied.

"Let us not be hasty. Surely there must be some way to prove faith?" Itachi pressed.

Sakura watched the deadly dance of words with wide green eyes taking it all in. Perhaps the code breakers could make something more of their conversation. Sakura didn't have enough to work with to try and decipher all the hidden meanings in their complicated relationship. The only thing she could do was remember every line, every inflection.

"Let us talk further" Okinawa motioned.

"Indeed" Itachi said, releasing, Sakura's hand.

Her hand felt cold without the warmth of his in it. She glanced at her empty hand uncomprehendingly. She watched the crimson red clouds on his back as he simply walked off. _Great, he's leaving us here?…Shannaro! _Inner Sakura growled_. _Sakura's eyes darted at the lecherous looks from Okinawa's bodyguards. Sakura didn't pretend to know what Itachi was doing. Her mistrust of the situation tripled three fold. Irritated and worried at the same time, She waited, hand tensing around her kunai as she eyed the dirty nin around her. She didn't dare move or blink. Each of these men were trained ninja though disguised, rough and burly, they were formidable. They were deceptively relaxed, fingers curled around their hidden weaponry in their positions, eying her from their psuedo relaxed poses. She could take them, but it would do little good. It certainly wouldn't give her more information. What the hell was taking them so long? And why had he left her out of this? No longer needing pretense, Sakura scowled, knuckles clenching. Judging by the twitches of the burly nin around her it wasn't a reassuring gesture. Inner Sakura ranted and raved, as fickled about the Uchiha as ever.

Sakura was not the most patient of people. In a medical room when she had to be delicate with a scalpel was one thing. That required a completely different kind of patience. She was in control of what was happening, she knew what to do, and how to respond. This wait was one of irritation, lack of communication, and lack of planning which made it the most frustrating of all. Sakura waited, the tension in the room boiling over. Sakura was about to break it by breaking some ones face, consequences be damned, when Itachi reappeared. Sakura's eyes narrowed at the men around her. Each of them easily backed up ten paces with his presence and Okinawa's. Probably because they were concerned for their boss' welfare. Fools. She was just as dangerous. His hand found hers easily whilst she was distracted glaring at the other nin. The warmth shook her out of her barely concealed rage. Taking a deep cleansing breath she harnessed the rage into her act. She didn't dare question him now, as they were still in cover, but she'd be damned if she wouldn't make him explain after this. She forced a smile to her face. He pulled her along.

"I'm glad we could come to terms Itachi san." Okinawa said.

Itachi merely nodded in reply, continuing to walk to the exit. Sakura glanced at the other nin from the corner of her eye. They allowed it, exchanging glances with their boss. Itachi remembered every twist and turn they took in the building and easily found their way out. They wove through the groups of people into the streets, Itachi placing his hat back on his head, one handed, his other dragging her briskly through the throngs of people. He ignored the glares of the other nin around them and kept going, practically dragging her along and through the crowd.

"Itachi" Sakura hissed, between clenched teeth so as not to draw attraction to them but to make damn sure he had heard her and was aware of how irritated she was. Whether Itachi actually heard her or not, he never stopped, never acknowledged her. Sakura had, had just about enough, chakra flaring to life in her knuckles as she was about to break his hand again when he flung her into the alley, pinning her against the rough brick. Her head smacked dully against the brick, throbbing.

"Itachi!" She snarled, louder. She was a goddamned anbu captain. If he thought just because He was an S Class criminal, that it gave him the right to treat her like a chunin, then he was about to get a rude wake up call.

"Hush" Itachi ordered, placing a finger over her lips.

Jade eyes narrowed and she saw red.

"_You_ are going to tell _me _what the-Ah!" She cried, mind fizzling as those thin lips touched her skin.

Sakura had never really known any other Uchiha, but Sasuke, so she freely admitted that she wasn't an expert or anything. From having known Sasuke and frequently stalked him, she'd never seen him interact with girls. 100% of the time it was to tell them to fuck off, and that he was busy training. Nasty rumors had then circulated about him being asexual as she recalled. After all, what sort of moron turned down Ino; the buxom blonde? After thoroughly beating the rumor starters senseless, the rumors died down. Of course Ino, like most of the Konoha women, were also known for their nasty tempers, but they were some of the most attractive females in the ninja world. Konoha women were chosen for concubine missions 3 to 1. Granted with clans like the Uchiha where you had absolutely gorgeous men and women, both highly capable ninja, every one, no matter what you looked like, was ordinary in comparison. Sakura therefore wondered if the reason they never pursued was because they were so goddamned capable in every aspect that they only preferred each other. If Sakura had known Uchiha possessed this sort of skill, she might have personally volunteered her virginity. The things that he was doing to her body were probably illegal, but she shivered in sinful pleasure. Sakura had fantasized about being kissed and touched like this. It was just the wrong Uchiha.

His mouth was against her neck, burning her to the core as his fingertips touched her skin harshly. He forced her chin up as he nibbled, and she could do little but let him as she was swept up in his heat. That electric heat coursed through her entire body, pooling uncomfortably in her stomach as she tensed, realizing what was happening to her. She was allowing Itachi to do this. And really Itachi never did anything without a motive or a reason. So What. The. . He. Doing?

Sakura was completely unprepared for his physical onslaught; hadn't even expected it of the man she had formerly assumed was a eunic before this moment blew that thought completely out of the water. Sakura arched, the feelings coursing through her alarming and concerning her as the heat intensified and her stomach did summersaults, while her heart tried to keep up. Hard calloused fingertips roamed her body, his left hand massaging her scalp with the expertise only a ninja could possess, sending pleasant tingles down her nervous system. Her body was betraying her, heart thudding erratically in her chest. _He is Quite skilled _Inner Sakura critiqued from the sidelines.

_DAMN it…a little help here? _

_You seem to be doing quite fine on your own, albeit quietly_ Inner Sakura snickered.

Sakura's cheeks flamed, and her irritation of the situation rose tenfold.

"They're watching us" Itachi murmured, lips hidden against her neck buried beneath her hair that he was running those thin fingers through. He made his way skillfully up her ear nibbling, sucking and biting in between.

"And what do I …care?" Sakura managed to throw out. Hell, she was surprised she could still speak legitimate syllables and consonants with the _things_ he was doing to her. Her brain was slowly turning to mush, having problems staying coherent under his touch. Red flags went off in her mind, giving her a burst of adrenaline to sober her thoughts.

"You have some explaining to do" She hissed, tensing at his unwanted affections. She was not some common whore, that he could have his way with… no matter how _good _that tongue felt scraping against her skin.

Itachi did not respond, he simply continued to administer his unsolicited touch to her. She would've groaned in frustration but she was terrified that it might encourage him. She had no idea whether she wanted him to stop or continue, and the conflict was messing with her ability to reason. Sakura bit her lip, trying to focus. _S class criminals apparently are S classed for other reasons too! _Inner Sakura snickered with glee_._

_You are soooo not helping this!_ She rebuked her inner self. 

Sakura, desperate as she knew she was fighting a loosing battle with her body, managed to get her hands up his chiseled features, sliding across those taut muscles and worked her hands into his hair. It took every ounce of concentration she had left to grab that silky black hair, instead of pulling it in encouragement. She found purchase on his chin, forcing him up to look into her eyes. Big mistake. Those piercing red eyes, Mahogany red in their intensity and depth held her in place. She was surprised by his ragged breath, the touch of color that graced those high cheek bones and his tousled hair that was nearly out of his ponytail. She took a sharp breath at his appearance, alarmingly turned on by his disheveled look. Had he ever looked so uncomposed? So wild and unkempt? That only served to make him that much more sexy; the only word that fit the context of her dilemma.

_Damn it! Remember when you thought he looked like a girl!_ Sakura was grasping at straws for anything she could come up with to keep her composure

_If he's a girl, then why do you feel his-_

_SHUDDUP! _Sakura scowled, cursing her inner self to the abyss.

His sharingan were alight, his eyes burning her with a smoldering gaze that stopped her non logical semi coherent thoughts where they stood. She was paralyzed by those eyes, lost in seas of crimson ruby as black tomoe whirled, lulling her and enchanting her. He took the ground he was freely given at her expense. His lips burned everywhere they touched, his tongue lapping over the sensitive areas where he would nip and lavish, sending a whole new wave of heat through her, shattering her resolve for the umpteenth time.

She gasped, trying to make the dizzy spell she was under dissipate. Sakura's eyes felt heavy and hazy and she blinked them, shaking her head, trying to fend the Uchiha off. She briefly wondered if he was using his genjutsu on her, and squirmed. It only served to have him tighten his grip on her. Those hard calloused palms grabbed her beneath her ribs, pulling her up. He pressed the entirety of his warmth against her, sliding between her suspended legs, holding her in place firmly against the wall. Her Akatsuki jacket had long ago been opened and he slid against the revealed clothing that was thin and skin tight. Sakura shivered, liquid heat traveling everywhere those surprisingly soft lips nipped and suckled her tender flesh, everywhere his warm body touched. She was burning, smoldering from the fire of his touch. He lapped at his most recent bite, blowing softly against the wet puckered skin of her lips.

"I-I-Itachi! Stop this!" She gasped, snapping her neck away from him. This was going way too far. _Control!_ She forced the word over and over in her head.

"Cover" Itachi murmured, retreating into her neck below her ear, hands holding her in place, refusing to budge. White hot light flared as Sakura snarled.

His teeth returned to graze her ear and Sakura couldn't fight the choked gasp that came out. What the _hell _was Itachi doing? She was being forcefully molested. Sakura was tense and uncomfortable, cheeks flaming red, lips parted, pulsing from his more recent bite. He nipped her collar bone, and she arched not in lust but in desperation, trying to escape his hold. Her breath came in gasps with her effort, she tried to wriggle and writhe against him. Itachi, though lean and limber was like rock, unmovable, in spite of her chakra. She couldn't concentrate to summon the chakra to her hands to beat the holy hell out of him.

"I said Now!" Sakura ground out, needing to get away from him before things got really out of hand.

And suddenly his touch became loose and he released her. She slid down the brick wall, feeling every bump in the grout. She was cold all over from the lack of his warmth, jade eyes glaring daggers.

"We were followed, of course" Itachi replied, though to Inner Sakura's satisfaction he was as breathless as she was. Followed. As if that explained everything, he turned his head, about to move forward.

Why she did what she did, Sakura didn't know. There was the possibility that she was irritated by the lack of his presence or perhaps it was his piss poor excuse that really managed to dig its way beneath her skin. Regardless she had no control over her next action. She lashed out with anbu speed, grabbing his Akatsuki collar in her hands, pulling him towards her and back into her proximity.

"You owe me a hell of a lot more than that for an explanation" Sakura snarled. She could feel the warmth radiate off of him as her mood grew more hostile, if it was possible.

Itachi didn't flinch or waiver under her touch. He gravitated closer by default

"This was actually your fault in the first place, Sakura" He explained, mouth inches from hers.

"OH Really?" Sakura ground out, jade eyes flaming.

Itachi took in her appearance, satisfied with the results. Her cheeks were blotted with a lovely shade of red making her face glow, and her eyes gleamed brightly. She was breathing hard and ragged from his touch, still trembling as she stood her ground. Scattered about her lovely glistening skin were bruises and marks from his teeth.

"If you hadn't forced me to cause a scene in the first alley we went to, Okinawa would have never suspected anything about us. As it was, he needed a bit more convincing that our partnership was more than it seemed." Itachi replied.

"Partnership? You made it seem like we were _intimate_!?" Sakura replied, dead pan.

"Think about it Sakura. Your inappropriate display of exhibition in the alley, and Okinawa appears. What else was there to do? It made perfect sense and gave a legitimate reason for Kisame's absence." Itachi replied.

Sakura's hand flew out of her own accord, and Itachi caught it, arm shaking with the exertion. She had packed quite a bit of chakra into that move. Sakura's eyes narrowed, and her hand strained against his as she fought his hold. She grunted her wrath, applying more pressure. His hand shook further with the effort, but he held. Those burning eyes never left hers, challenging her as they mocked her. The scarlet color on the outside of his pupils grew deeper, a lovely shade of mahogany in the middle from the shadows his tomoe were casting.

"I will not tolerate your disrespect" Itachi said, his eyes narrowing a fraction in disapproval.

"Disrespect?" Sakura sputtered, breaking the hold with her adrenaline racing. "DISRESPECT?" She shrieked. "I was not the one doing the molesting!"

"You were also not complaining." Itachi mused. How he enjoyed her anger, her passion.

"I told you to stop! How _dare_ you take advantage of me!" Sakura spat.

"I told you, we were followed." He said.

Sakura nearly shrieked her fury. She took a deep calming breath. In and out. Her lungs expanded thankfully with the gesture, her heart beginning to calm it's frequent thudding. Her body was pulsing all over, a low and steady throb that was slowly going away as she composed herself. When she opened her eyes, Emerald green met rose red Sharingan.

"Look, lets just talk about this after we are out of Sound, okay?" Sakura said, forcing a smile to her face.

"Agreed" Itachi said, taking the lead.


	11. Learning

AN: I write while the plot bunnies are multiplying. You are so fortunate to benefit from such things. Speaking of which, things are picking up speed as we will finally be breaking ground on the plot. Sakura is stubborn, a character trait I find hard to write out of her. I've learned from previous fics that rushing does little good. So I'm taking my time. Be patient with her, she's working on trust. Also: Please read and review. It helps me know what you're liking and what you're not, and what I can do to write the characters as accurately as possible. Thanks.

"_Learning isn't a means to an end; it is an end in itself."-Robert Heinlein-_

Itachi led the way through the throng of people, and Sakura followed him amiably. His thoughts were scattered everywhere and anywhere in between, mostly centered on the pink haired medic nin, much to his chagrin. The dull pulsing burn still spread through him as he thought of her throaty moans, and whimpers. He could still recall with startling detail the flush of color spread over her cheeks, how green her emerald eyes became as he had his way with her. The catch of her breathe, as he took it away. It was impossible to forget what had just happened between them. It replayed over and over in his thoughts, tormenting him as it teased him. He had crossed the lines with her, no, he had _blurred_ the lines between them by his actions which made it that much harder. He knew his mission, and he knew what ultimately her role played out in that mission. He should have felt guilty, but Itachi had a hard time regretting any of the decisions he made. Living life in the past tense was dangerous for missing nin like him. Itachi lived life the way he wanted, consequences be damned. He had learned the hard way, that regretting your decisions did little to change what had already occurred. He could not, would not live that way anymore.

It was blood spilt under the bridge and there was nothing he could do about what had been done. He had taken things further than he should have, had done too well of a job of convincing them, and so convincing himself that he was justified in his actions. But the way she had _tasted_…the way she had responded to him so completely. The way those soft curves pressed against every inch of him, driving him mad with desire. That fragrant taste still lingered on his lips. If anything it served to remind him, to teach him the lesson he had swallowed so painfully for the rest of his life; that he was still only human. He was still prone to those human wants and desires. And how now after tasting and touching, did he desire….He longed to lick his lips, to taste her again, but pushed that thought aside. Somewhere along the lines he was remiss in his mental discipline. She was dangerous and there was something utterly sensual about that factor that kept the logical side of his brain from keeping up with the rest of him. But it did not compensate or justify what he had done.

It was true that they had been followed by Okinawa's men, and that in order to keep their cover he had needed to act upon what he had spoken to Okinawa of.

(Flashback)

_"You want me to believe that you, and that girl out there, are now partners in the midst of Akatsuki?" Okinawa had exclaimed incredulously. _

_"She has a surprising amount of talent. Akatsuki was in need of a ninja with perfect chakra control." Itachi replied._

_"Akatsuki has not recruited new members since it began" Okinawa stated, black eyes narrowing. _

_"On the contrary, Tobi was admitted recently into our ranks within a matter of weeks. It should not alarm you that we have been looking among missing nin and hunter nin for quite some time for possible candidates. She was admitted very recently" Itachi declared. _

_"And you just happen to be partnered with your lover?" Okinawa replied, skeptical. _

_"Leader sama was favorable as the bond between us already existed. Partners who work well together can accomplish more missions more effectively. Sexual intimacy increases a kunoichi's trust when handled correctly."_

_"…" _

Apparently the old man hadn't bought his brief explanation and had sent ninja after they had concluded their business arrangement to follow them and see if the story was true. The senile old fool. To think he wouldn't know that Okinawa had sent them was his first mistake. His second was thinking that Itachi wouldn't cover his own tracks. Itachi had made their story very plausible to the eyes of Okinawa's men and Sakura had played her part. He supposed it accomplished the means to the end. From a very close distance her actions could probably be interpreted as frigid and hostile, but not to eyes from a distance.

Itachi mused on how he would make Okinawa suffer after their business transaction. After all, he would have to die now that Sakura now knew where to find him. Though he highly suspected Konoha would ever infiltrate sound without one of the thousand missing nin that frequented it knowing, Itachi was nothing but thorough and efficient. Leaving no trace of this mission after it was complete was a must for the delicate nature of it's objectives. It was the reason he chose such a lowly business partner. Akatsuki could go through several of the other vendors after he wiped out Okinawa's business. Perhaps the other vendors would pay him for it. Occasionally the competition liked to take over the business partners of the other by congratulating them in monetary order. Having played along with the cover had forced him into intimate proximity with one Haruno Sakura.

There was always something to be learned from mistakes though. Always something that he could hone, in himself. It had been a mistake to think he could approach the task at hand level headedly. He had overcompensated and banked on his own superior logic and reason to see him through a very physical experience. The moment his lips had touched her skin, it was like a spark struck, burning through him, a dull blaze that burned the longer her touched her. Uchiha Itachi was not one to be caught up headlong in anything. But he had overestimated himself in the face of temptation. There were certainly several reasons for why he had done what he had done. Certainly, as he had kissed and touched, the desire to continue to do so had overcome him. He blamed it on the fact that it had been quite some time since he had pursued any brothel. Of course he refused to take the thought further and wonder why no brothel girl had ignited such hunger in him. Itachi would not go that far in his thoughts, would not see it to it's logical end. She was dangerous for all her innocence and naivety and it was something Itachi would have to protect, lest he fall for that temptation.

Itachi was pulled from his thoughts by the very subject of them

"You do anything for missions don't you?" Sakura scowled, irritated.

"What do you mean?" Itachi replied evenly, curious in spite of himself at what she would say regarding the previously touchy subject. It appeared Sakura was very capricious.

"Do you always molest your partners, or did you save that only for 'extenuating circumstances?' " Sakura said with disdain.

Itachi paused, considering his words, as they made their way towards the outskirts of sound.

"I proceeded the way I did because we were being followed and watched by Okinawa's men. I did not mean for my actions to be misconstrued so inappropriately by your person. If I have offended you or wronged you then it is my mistake." Itachi said with an eloquence only he could have possessed.

It was a thing Sakura was growing to appreciate more about him the longer she spent with him. Itachi had a way with words. When he wasn't being a heartless bastard, he was actually quite respectful. He was also intelligent and after putting up with Naruto and Sai's banter, it was a refreshing change.

Sakura blushed, a pretty shade of scarlet gracing her cheeks. The red made her eyes stick out, sea foam green when she was embarrassed.

"I understand. Thank you for apologizing." Sakura replied, green eyes beaming at him as a smile graced her features, lightening her face, and making those eyes shine brighter if possible.

Itachi did not point out that a direct apology was never made, because one couldn't necessarily apologize for what one was _not_ sorry for. He let it pass, grateful that she was as willing to let it go. He had misjudged her again, another learning opportunity to know his enemy better. It shouldn't have surprised him that she would simply accept it and move on. She never did anything the way he predicted her to yet, so why start now?

They had reached the outskirts of sounds capitol city, and entered into the woods taking their time.

"Here is as good as anywhere." Sakura stated.

"You are referring to Okinawa?" Itachi replied.

Sakura nodded.

Itachi pulled out a manilla folder and handed it to her. Sakura opened the folder. Inside was the bounty money needed for their kill. Sakura handed it back to him, suspicious and distrustful.

The smile now left. "I want details, Itachi." Sakura stated, jade eyes hardening.

Itachi's eyebrow raised. Her entitlement of the situation irked him. It wasn't the fact that she wanted details, it was the way she demanded them, as if he would cater to her temper.

"In order to procure the money needed for the bounty, Okinawa enlisted us in an additional endeavor" Itachi explained delicately.

"I suppose you got an advancement then?" Sakura replied, hard tone still in her voice.

"Enough to cover the bounty on his head. The rest will be received as we complete the business transaction." Itachi said.

"You keep saying we as if I ever agreed to any of this" Sakura snorted. "I have to get to Konoha in order to fulfill the letter."

"I'm afraid that's not possible, Sakura." Itachi replied.

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "You don't have any control over me, Itachi."

"I would beg to differ. We agreed to a partnership if you recall your own words" Itachi told her.

"And yet you left me there when Okinawa was dealing with his business. It's no wonder that he was suspicious about our so called partnership. It's because it doesn't exist. You keep treating me like a chuunin." Sakura snapped.

"Acting like you have a choice in the matter does not delay the fact that you will accompany me."

"I have no reason to. I did not promise him I would do such a thing and therefore I have no obligation to do so." Sakura replied stubbornly.

"You will do as you are told" Itachi told her simply. He wasn't about to put up with her attitude.

That tore it. He was completely missing her point in all of this and forcing his way.

"I refuse to do this anymore!" Sakura said.

"Do what exactly?" Itachi asked, unimpressed.

"You" She snarled, whirling as she stomped off.

Itachi was not about to be dismissed so abruptly. She may have problems with her temper but that was her own quirk to burden, not his. Once again, she thought she was in control of this, and she was sadly mistaken. He grabbed her wrist, whirling her around.

"You choose this" Itachi told her, irritation rising to the surface.

"Then I un-choose it" Sakura snapped, trying to take her arm back. Itachi refused to let go.

"I'm afraid it doesn't work that way, Sakura." Itachi told her, eyes narrowed.

"Whatever deal you just made Itachi, you never consulted me on it therefore I am not bound to it. I have to return to Konoha." Sakura snapped.

"Listen _carefully_ Kunoichi. You agreed to this. We, in order to prove faith with Okinawa need to hunt down a bounty hunter. If you attempt to return to Konoha, you will nullify the arrangement." Itachi stated.

"Do you think that _bothers_ me? Am I supposed to be terrified of the big bad Uchiha?" and here she proceeded to poke him in the chest.

"I never agreed to _anything_. You made the deal with Okinawa, not me, Itachi. You didn't even bother to consult me. I agreed to a partnership with you to figure out what happened to Sasuke. So far all I've done is your dirty work time and time and time again, we haven't discovered anything. This isn't a partnership anymore, and I am not your prisoner!"

"On the contrary" Itachi's grip nearly broke her arm as he pulled her face towards his. She couldn't fight his grip, not without chakra.

"What will you do Itachi? Force me to follow you? If we fight, sound nin will be alerted to both of us here. You can't fight anyone else and hope to keep me at bay, and so help me, I'll level sound, if you try." Sakura said, eyes deathly serious.

Itachi considered her look and her words for a moment. It would be foolish to start something so close to sounds territory. Diplomatically, Akatsuki could not afford such a cost should something go wrong. The thought chaffed Itachi, whose anger burned against the pink haired green eyed vixen. Tasting her skin had only served to irritate him further as her anger made her more attractive. His own lack of self control irritated him, almost as much as the truth of her words. He was loosing her, his own need for control of the situation battling with her own. She couldn't handle his lack of information, but how much ground could he give her? As much as he insulted her own experience as a ninja she was the hokage's apprentice for a reason and she was fiercely intelligent. He couldn't afford to give her more than she was already receiving by being a bystander in his negotiations. He knew dangerously well that she was cataloging everything he said, and every face and name he spoke to, forcing him to use contacts he planned to eradicate later. He could not give her more information. So he had to come to a compromise, on a different ground.

"You're right." He told her, his genius of a mind knew the ground on which he could sacrifice the least amount of position. Itachi was a master planner, every move calculated and cunning.

"W-what." Sakura said, puzzled by his new approach. What was he getting at? Why had he dropped his argument so quickly? Sakura felt her frustration return ten fold.

"Fighting you would be meaningless. A waste of both our talents" Itachi replied, releasing her grip, motioning her to follow him deeper into the woods.

"Excuse me?" Sakura swallowed.

Could she trust this new move? Itachi was deathly dangerous. Every move he had was calculated and precise. She had learned the hard way in this chess game of wills that she had no control over him. Then why was he conceding? What could he possibly gain by doing this, and did she want him to gain that? Her cooperation, of course! Fighting her here did little to help his business relationship with sound and it forced him to concede to a point to her whims.

"We will do things your way. To a point." Itachi replied.

Sakura stepped hesitantly after him. It wouldn't hurt her to hear out his proposition. Itachi was a man of intricate layers. She would unravel him one by one if needed, but she would find out who he was and how he ticked.

"What do you mean?" She asked suspiciously. The only way to find out what he was doing was to hear him out. Sakura wasn't sure if she wanted to give him that chance.

"It was unfair of me to try and force your hand in the bounty." Itachi told her.

Sakura's green eyes stared back at him, unblinking as they clung to his every word.

"I should have consulted you, before I readily agreed to the bounty. I overstepped our agreement. Therefore I am willing to make a compromise with you." Itachi told her.

"Compromise?" Sakura asked, pink eye brow arching. Since when was he ever willing to compromise? _Since he's trying to get back into our good graces_ Inner Sakura growled.

"Do not belittle my graciousness. You returning to Konoha is an excellent idea. However you returning without the bounty would do little to keep our story plausible." Itachi replied.

Sakura merely nodded waiting for him to continue.

"I would be willing to supply the bounty, and allow you to return to Konoha, provided that we meet there, after this." Itachi replied.

"You being in Konoha is out of the question." Sakura replied.

"It is the _only _way to discover more about the remains on my brother. I'm sorry but I cannot entrust that task to you alone." Itachi retorted.

"And why not?" Sakura demanded.

"You have your allegiances to your country. They overlook your other interests. I cannot have that interfering with our plans" Itachi stated.

"We don't have_ Our_ plans though do we now? because _we_ don't plan." Sakura soclwed.

"Okinawa gave us an advance in credit for a job I agreed to render." Inside his coat he pulled out an envelope.

"He paid you in advance?" Sakura questioned. Itachi nodded and handed her the envelope. Sakura took the money, storing it in her clothing beneath the cloak.

"Furthermore, we strike up an added portion to our deal" Itachi told her.

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "And what exactly are you referring to?"

"While I am gone and you are in Konoha, you will uncover news of my brother's death"

"We already made one deal. Seeing as how I feel like we're not being clear, lets resolve that. What _exactly_ do you want, Itachi?" Sakura retorted.

"Its true that we never ironed out the stipulations of our mutual consent. You will find out if it is_ his_ real body that was recovered, or not" Itachi replied.

"So reading between the lines; You're asking me to dig up his remains? Absolutely Not." Sakura replied.

"Do not put words into my mouth. I am asking you to use your abilities to discover if it is his body or not. As ninja we must operate under what we know. We do not _know_ if it is really _his_ body. I am being considerate in trusting you to this task, and offering my expertise when I arrive. If you have reasonable suspicion that your kage has hidden something then we will decide from there."

"I refuse to let you set foot in Konoha as a traitor and I will not dishonor the dead." Sakura said.

"You are too weak to keep me out." Itachi replied.

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "But the entire anbu fleet is not." Sakura replied.

"In which case, I will bring the adequate reinforcements necessary and tear Konoha asunder. I burn it to the ground" Itachi replied, tone dark. He was deathly serious.

Sakura bit her lip. There was no mistaking his looks. Itachi was startling honest when he spoke. He would do what he said he was going to do. It would be the easy way or the hard way. Sakura was being forced to concede in their strenuous negotiations and she hated that. She would be forced to let him into Konoha one way or another. He would either be with her, or he would come in by force, and though they would be know of it, there would be no way Konoha wouldn't suffer. Sakura's mind flashed through the faces of her most precious people. She couldn't afford to loose them. But if she was with him, then he would not resort to that. If she was with him she could study him, and stop him from that. Surely that justified him being in Konoha? No one would have to know he was there. Itachi was perfectly capable of concealing himself. Then no one would be hurt. Sakura would see to it. It was far better than the alternative he was willing to follow through on. Sakura was stuck in the grey between of what was betraying her beloved Konoha and what wasn't.

The final blow to her was to think of the blonde ramen eating idiot. Naruto, she thought with a clench of her heart. If Itachi brought Akatsuki in with him they would be too tempted to simply leave Naruto alone. With just Itachi, she could protect him and keep the two far away from each other. She could keep Itachi from taking him. She could not protect him from an invasion by the entire team of Akatsuki members and hope to protect Konoha.

"Even to know if it really is your beloved Sasuke buried in the ground?" Itachi pressed. "What if he was still alive, Sakura? Imagine what you could do-"

"You will _never_ speak of Sasuke so flippantly in my presence again. _Ever!_" Sakura said vehemently. "and I said No." She finished flatly.

"There need be no dishonoring the dead if you can discover it other ways. Surely, the hokage would have records of the Autopsy and other information regarding his death. We will need that information to track down the killer. As one familiar with medical history surely you would know if his records were faked or not." Itachi told her.

Sakura's head whirled. Everything he was saying made sense and explained his motives, which is why Sakura knew she couldn't trust them. He was asking her to walk the grey line again. If she broke in and stole medical records and was caught she could be charged with treason. But she had access to those medical records simply by being the hokage's apprentice. She was the only one who might be allowed to view them. He knew all of this, which made her all the more weary to agree to it. But if she didn't try to find out more about Sasuke's death there would be no way to avenge him. Sakura's assumptions had got her into this mess in the first place. She knew that she could not trust him. Why was he being so conceding right now? Sakura felt helpless with this onslaught of new information.

"Sakura?" Itachi asked, watching thoughts flicker across her face. It was easy to tell she was apprehensive to the idea and to him, but he knew she was trapped as well as she did. She had little choice but to follow through, otherwise neither would leave sound alive. Would she gamble her fate into the hands of Orochimaru just to prove her point?

"If I agree to what you are saying, than I'm doing nothing more than playing directly into your hands. There's more going on than you're telling me and I refuse to be a puppet or doll that you manipulate, Itachi."

Sharingan eyes whirled.

"Do you know what you're saying Sakura?"

"I refuse, Itachi."

"Very well then, Sakura." Itachi said, summoning chakra. "You know very well I cannot let you leave sound without your promise."

'And you know, I wont give it to you" Sakura replied, preparing herself.

"I did hope to come to a peaceful compromise Sakura. I take no pleasure in fighting you." Itachi told her regretfully.

"Spare me the lies." Sakura snapped.

"I have no reason to lie to you, Sakura" Itachi told her

"Don't say my name anymore. We're not comrades." Sakura retorted.

"Very well, Kunoichi" Itachi replied, starting hands seals.

Sakura's hands raised and Itachi's eyes widened as he felt her chakra swell.

"Doton Doryuu Jouheki!" She cried, smashing her fists into the ground.

Itachi had leapt up into the trees expecting the ground to be smashed, what he encountered instead was a great expanse of wall. Sharingan eyes narrowed. She must have hidden her palm seals from him with that coat. Clever.

Sakura sprinted, jumping her way up into the trees as she pumped her arms. She knew that summoning the wall would merely detain him for a few seconds. She would make that time count. Itachi had a few options with her earth jutsu. He would either copy her move, and smash through it expending chakra and time, or he could continue with his fire move, and blast through the wall. Those were the quickest ways, because climbing and jumping over the mountainous wall she had created would consume too much energy and chakra. He would have to make the choice of expending his chakra to save time, or save time to expend chakra. She smirked as she sped along, leaping from branch to branch. She could hear the explosion as well as the scorching heat from his fire jutsu. That hadn't taken him long. He'd expended the chakra to do it, which meant they were even in terms of expending chakra and she had the upper hand with a decent head start. She placed traps along the way, using her last sets of weaponry sparing. She would need kunai on hand to face him. She made the most of her head start, and bounded further, using chakra enhanced steps to give her a bit more distance between him.

Itachi crashed through the brush, ignoring the scratching thorns as he pressed on through. She was much more clever than he had originally given her credit for. The wall had expended a decent amount of his chakra to burn through. She was several hundred yards ahead and was delaying him further as he dealt with her ridiculous traps. Sakura seemed to have a knack at creating traps on the fly. He had been forced to set them off, and avoid the scattering degrees of senbon and kunai that continued to give her head way. Her wire laying was exceptional, and she used brown chording that she must have enhanced herself to blend with the bark. His respect for her rose as he pursued.

He was closing the distance though her traps were effective in slowing him down. The border wasn't that far off. She could make it. She would have to. Then she sensed it. A large group pursuing Itachi. They hadn't reached her wall yet. From the far north eastern corner of the capitol in sound; another group of ninja set out, probably hoping to cut her off. She raced forward needing to outdistance the both of them before she got caught in a three way brawl. Itachi was closing the distance alarmingly now. He must have decided to use his chakra. Sakura cursed. She turned, launching a kunai at him with blinding speed. He didn't even pause, or blink as he batted it away with his own. She would be wasting weaponry if she continued, but there was no stopping him.

She used the extra bounce in her step to jump off to the left of the forest, hoping to throw him off. He followed, turning the corner with enough precision to shave the time. He managed a decent kick, though she'd been prepared for it and braced herself with chakra. Apparently he wanted to fight her close quartered and without jutsu because he hadn't launched anything at her. Taijutsu had always been a weakness for her in the past. Perhaps he was counting on that. He landed as she did, both eyeing each other. She turned on the branch, hands going for her sword.

"We have visitors" He replied, his own hand on his sword. "If we take care of them first we can continue with our battle."

"No." Sakura replied, her anbu mask slipped on as she ripped off the cloak and hat.

"You're hoping to find a breach within my defense in the midst of the battle." Itachi stated with a shrug.

Sakura didn't bat an eyelash at him. She avoided his direct gaze.

"You forget that your tactic is a double edged sword. The minute _you _loose focus, I will be there" Itachi said.

"You have no idea who these ninja are, and yet you are willing to sacrifice their lives over pride? Is this how you show me your ideals, Kunoichi?"Itachi provoked, his words finding purchase as she launched herself at him with a cry of fury.

Parries and thrusts were exchanged, fury coursing through her every move, adding strength to her blows. A smile pulled at Itachi's features as she became angrier, if at all possible. That lovely shade of scarlet graced her cheeks, blooming in front of him making her all the more lovelier. She cried her rage, picking up speed as the blows they exchanged could no longer be seen, but heard with every twang of swords meeting and every flicker of sparks from the blades locking and ringing off of each other. Sparks flew, and the grass caught fire. It would be minutes before the other nin arrived to the scene. Her wall and his fire jutsu hadn't exactly been subtle. Now with the forest burning, it would be a beacon to every ninja in the area.

He had little time to muse over this newest thought as Sakura's leg crashed into the ground, splitting the earth with her precise control. He was forced to move to avoid sinking beneath the jagged cracks she left. She managed a slice to his arm blood flying from her sword.

Hadn't he learned his lessons before about underestimating her? Apparently he was relearning old schooling. Itachi frowned. The cut wasn't deep, but if they were burning down sound, as it appeared their fight was doing, sound would retaliate. He could not hope to defeat her, and the other ninja as well as any others who decided to pick them off or investigate. Less than a minute before the other Ninja touched down. There were many of them of varying levels.

"Sound will take their forest burning as a sign of war. Shall we die here for pride then?" Itachi replied.

Sakura's breath heaved. She had expended quite a bit of her energy in her anger. Itachi launched forward, disarming one sword, as it went flying into the tree trunk behind them. He had a point.

"What are you suggesting?" Sakura gasped.

"That we retreat and come to a better arrangement." Itachi said.

Sakura considered his words carefully. "There's no need. I will agree to let you into Konoha and to access the….situation" Sakura couldn't muster out his name "on one condition: That you will not harm Naruto in any way, by your hand or your interference while he is in Konoha."

"It is done" Itachi replied. The Kyuubi was not on his objectives for this specific mission and until they figured out what had happened to his foolish little brother, the kyuubi would be left aside.

"Follow me" Itachi told her, leading the way to the border.

Sakura followed, biting her lip. It was the best she could do given her situation. It was the only way to stay true to her personal philosophy. _So why is protecting my precious people forcing me to betray my love for Konoha?_ She wondered. She couldn't focus on that. She had already made the agreement. Now she could only simply put one foot in front of the other and see it through. _This is all assuming we get out of sound_ alive Inner Sakura reminded as the ninja were seconds away from contact.

Please Review


	12. Home

AN: This is a shorter update but I really wanted to get it out. The action heats up. Hurray we're getting closer to Konoha. I'm looking forward to writing it as all of the ideas I've had in my head have swirled on this point. Please remember to review as it inspires me to write faster and tells me what you're liking and what I need to work on as a writer. As always your attention to this story is appreciated!

"_Home is where one starts from" T.S. Eliot_

Itachi paused, halting as he took light of the number of enemy nin heading towards him and his current location. The forest was multi planed with a variety of useful natural landmarks he could use. A smile graced his features. It was an excellent ambush site. The enemy nin would not know what hit them after he was through.

"Leave" He ordered her simply as he withdrew a handful of kunai, snipping the wire skillfully as he placed traps.

Sakura's eyes widened, in surprise, at her sudden dismissal. He was letting her go? And then she realized why he was letting her go, the insult apparent. Sakura scowled.

"I will be able to deal with them more efficiently without your presence." Itachi told her, knowing what she would say before she could argue. Those green eyes and her expressive face were usually a dead giveaway. Usually. He was certainly no closer to reading her thoughts, but he was getting better at gauging her expressions and knowing where he could push.

Translation: Sakura would only be in the way and limit the amount of space and area he had to work with. His site was excellent, he couldn't have chosen a better place for an ambush. Her scowl deepened into a frown. He was right, of course thus the source of the irritation. Itachi could use the full extent of his jutsu and possibly the fire burning down the surrounding forest around them to his advantage if he didn't have her to worry about. For an S class criminal, especially one that she hadn't fought with, she would be a liability, and they would be a liability to each other in a fight where mistakes couldn't be made. Sakura got a brief taste of what life on the run for Itachi must be like. She bowed her head and nodded, unable to speak for a moment.

Indecision plagued the expression on her face and Itachi was surprised she still stood her ground, instead of taking off for Konoha immediately. It was impossible to think that she wanted to stay in his company, but what else could her hesitancy mean?

"They'll be here within minutes" He reminded her.

"I know" She said, her face seeming to be determined on whatever course of action she had taken so long on deciding.

She reached into her pack and pulled out several of the packages of exploding senbon and kunai.

"Here. You could use these" She said, green eyes searching his as she placed them in his hands.

Itachi was shocked, not that his face would show it. He stared at the packages, speechless for the moment. Did she have any idea what she was doing? Was she fully aware of the consequences of her choices? He was the _enemy_, regardless of their uneasy coexistence and dependence on each other. She was _willingly_ giving him equipment she had made from Konoha to assist _him_ in his task of eliminating the other nin. It wasn't that Itachi was particularly sentimental…a term could never be used to describe him but what she had done was something so counter intuitive to a ninja's thought process. A normal ninja's thought process anyways. Sakura was anything but normal, even her appearance made her stand out from others.

He had been surprised by the gesture. It had been a very long time since something so sacrificing had been done for him. Perhaps that was the one thing Konoha had always done well at fostering; was loyalty. Before he had killed his entire clan and ruined Konoha's reputation by several notches. His hands were bloodstained and though he didn't regret his actions, he wondered if only briefly what would have happened to him if he had indeed stayed in Konoha. He shook the thought off. Blood spilt under the bridge.

His partnership with Kisame was not one of comradery, but of the expansion of the cause of Akatsuki. However, Kisame would have never given up a weapon for him, in any circumstance. The shark man could only expect the same from his partner. They were an organization of individuals. Personal sacrifice was a joke that got ninja killed on a daily basis. So, _why?_ She was by no means safe in her journey back to Konoha until she set foot in fire country soil and even then, there was the possibility of her getting attacked. It was true that Anbu was stealthy enough to reach her should a fight of larger proportions begin. Sakura was not exactly what he would describe as a subtle fighter. But to empty her pack of equipment was foolish. More than foolish it was weak. Itachi didn't want to read into her motives but no proper ninja ever gave up weapons that could be used, even in arming a comrade. If he could admit such a thing to himself he might have admitted that her concern was…touching. Instead, Itachi critiqued her ninja style, keeping to a safer way of looking at her sacrifice because to do else wise meant thinking with his less than logical portion of his brain. She was such an emotional creature. She reacted to situations the way a ninja shouldn't, the way a ninja couldn't afford to. Yet here she stood and breathed, a living contradiction to the way of the ninja, a way he had lived by for ages.

She was doing for him what only a close comrade…or a lover would do. Itachi pushed the romantic notion far from his thoughts refusing to touch the surface of them as the implications they entailed were too incredulous for him to manage. What it meant, what he choose to interpret from her motives; was that she was already emotionally concerned for him which was exactly what he had been hoping for. He had developed a tenuous bond of trust with her, a good sign for development in the future. Already their brief time together was affecting her, making her soft…softer. She would be easier to break that way…but Itachi found that he didn't want to continue those thoughts to their logical conclusion. Her death was… unappealing. It was only to be expected because he had not finished his mission and she still had her uses. He could not kill her as he could not throw away or waste a useful tool.

"Thank you." Itachi replied solemnly, taking the packages from her hands. He set them beside the rest of his tools and equipment, and turned back to face her, Sharingan eyes apprehensive. Apple green eyes eyed him, pink eyebrows furrowed in obvious concern. Her hand gripped his forearm in the last moment.

"Be careful" She said, eyes hardening to jade, locking onto his eyes in all seriousness. _Touching…_he thought briefly before squashing the thought.

Itachi gave a quiet laugh, shaking his head at her manner.

"Do you have so little faith in my abilities as a ninja?" Itachi questioned, a ghost of a smirk playing across his face as he eyed her.

She scowled again, her cheeks burning that lovely shade of pink as she glared at him. That did bring a smile to his face.

"I will see you in Konoha, Sakura." He promised her, with feeling which made the scowl lessen, which surprisingly and off-settingly improved his own mood.

"Of that you can be assured of. Now go" He ordered, as he placed the packets within his traps continuing to work on them.

Sakura nodded and took off in a dead sprint. Itachi turned sharingan eyes back to his work at hand, speeding through the wire laying as he awaited the enemy nin.

Sakura sprinted through the trees, posture bent as she picked up speed. Her hands strayed to her katana unsheathing them. It would not do for her to be caught unawares and she was still within enemy territory. She traveled stealthily applying moderate amounts of chakra to her footing for the extra burst of speed. She still had plenty of chakra to spare but Sakura was feeling optimistic. She spared a glance back at the clearing. She could still barely make out the wall she summoned from here. The fire from her and Itachi's previous and brief fight blazed still emitting smoke.

She could feel the ground rumble and she felt the blaze of heat from a large fire jutsu. Itachi was using huge amounts of chakra in his fight. He must be blasting them in groups, or perhaps he was using the blast as a cover for his traps. It was his fight and he could certainly take care of himself. She turned back ahead. The border was literally about 1000 yards away and Sakura couldn't help as a grin etched itself on her face. Until she recognized the chakra of the man standing, not 100 yards in front of her.

The ground exploded, and Sakura was propelled through the air, skin stinging from the explosion. Green chakra flared to life cleansing and closing the wounds. Spinning, swords in hand, she was barely able to block the chakra blades with her own katana. Jade eyes narrowed to thin slits of rage; she eyed her opponent.

Kabuto grinned, light reflecting off his silver framed glasses as his arms tensed in their efforts to press her. He wore the sound emblem on his forehead, hitai ate gleaming silver in the reflecting fires around them, black eyes holding her own.

"Hello Sakura." He said with a fierce smile as he pressed his chakra blades, cutting into hers. Sakura eyed her weapons against his. Oh gods…the chakra was cutting into them.

Sakura gave a cry as she was forced back, her katana blades slicing in half with a sickening snap as she narrowly avoiding him taking her hands and head with it.

Her heart felt numb as he kicked her off the tree top hard. She fell from her place in the trees staring at her blades as if staring at them would somehow make them grow back. She felt numb, dazed as she stared at her now useless weapons. Fortunately she wasn't numb for long as the branches broke her fall. She crashed into the trees painfully. Her heart clenched painfully at the loss of her most beloved weapons. Kakashi had given her those blades as a gift when she'd made it into anbu. She fell steadily, and if she didn't do something about that, she'd loose worse. Her arm wrenched while hitting another tree limb, though through it she was able to catch her fall. Sakura grasped for the limb with her other hand, crying out in pain as she pulled herself up one armed. She stood, beaten and bruised, chakra sticking her to place in the trees. Sakura winced in pain, a cut from her forehead bleeding freely into her eye.

"I fought your mentor earlier in my life. I learned the hard way that close combat is the only alternative with your alarming chakra enhanced strength." Kabuto said as he lighted down on a tree limb closer to her.

"You realize this means war?" Sakura gasped, grimacing as she popped her arm back in place, green chakra lighting over the area as she healed herself. She wiped the blood off, green chakra lighting as her forehead was healed.

"I did not start this, but I will certainly end it." Kabuto replied.

"Chee" Sakura snorted.

"You are trespassing upon sound. Diplomatic immunity wont save your life" Kabuto replied.

"We are close to Konoha's borders, Kabuto. You won't be able to stop me." Sakura snapped.

"On the contrary, Sakura." Kabuto said, moving with lightning speed.

His chakra blades clashed with Sakura's own chakra blades freshly summoned and she held her own, parrying his blows with blinding speed. She slashed at his knee caps gaining a handy advantage as she ducked dodged and weaved, green blades shinning. Blades locked as they came body to body. Sakura snarled, ki rising as her chakra blades grew in height and width as she weighed down on him, arms trembling against his own as those feral green eyes gave him cause to fear. Sakura's chakra filled blades grew even brighter green as they cut through his own chakra made blades slicing him across his chest as he retreated to avoid loosing his head and other appendages. Kabuto's black eyes widened in shock.

Chakra blades were made with layer upon layer of chakra. Every layer had to be exact in it's precision and each layer added onto the next layer. Once layered, it changed the depth and capacity of the blades, so each layer was different. For her to be able to add so many chakra layers as to cut through his own and for her weapon to still function as a blade took a tremendous amount of chakra control and ability. One small mistake in the layer and the entire thing crumbled. The fact that she could summon those chakra leveled blades so quickly was an ability of a S class ninja. She had expended quite a bit of chakra to manage her little coup and he had stepped back in time to save his life but that did little to ease Kabuto's startled reverie. He had severely underestimated her since facing her team last. But Sakura had always been the weak one of team seven even after she was trained by the hokage he had never seen such potential. Was it possible the girl was beyond Anbu level now? Kabuto cried out in pain and retreated, green glowing on his chest as he healed himself.

"It appears you have grown stronger in hand to hand combat. Excellent. It will make killing you worthy of me." Kabuto replied grinning.

Sakura's eyes narrowed as he launched a water jutsu at her, chakra blades shinning. She wouldn't waste her breath insulting him. He was beneath her. Sakura summoned another earth jutsu to blockade some of the water, getting wet in the process. The rest of the water she cut in half with her chakra blades, the huge waves separating on either side of her and putting out the fire that has spread from the explosion. The forest hissed, steam rising from the combination of fire and water. Sakura scanned the area, eyes darting as she searched.

Droplets glistening off her blade as she leapt to avoid the crushing blow of his chakra blades from above the fog. She narrowly dodged, tumbling. He sliced through her earth wall obliterating it, sending rocks showering as more water rained down. She darted left, ankles screaming in protest at her hasty move. If she didn't move quickly she would drown in the midst of his jutsu. Droplets glistened from her wet hair, and Sakura was annoyed to be wet. Even her chakra blades retained droplets. Sakura eyed her wet blades and a brilliant idea occurred to her. She grinned and thanked Kakashi for finally teaching her his technique. Now if she could avoid getting electrocuted to death it would go well in her favor.

Her blades lit with lightning from channeling Chidori, crackling and sparkling. She grinned fiercely as she found she had better control of the technique than she thought she did. Sakura launched the lightning at him as she charged forward, blades slashing. Kabuto scrambled to throw himself left dodging and tumbling nimbly as the Chidori blades struck. The only reason why he was singed as opposed to burnt to a crisp from avoiding those lethal charges of lightning was because of the amount of medical training he had been in. So she had learned Chidori. It shouldn't have surprised him that she knew that technique, only he had been expecting her weakness. Obviously Kakashi had taken her under his wing which meant he had found something worthy in her to teach her the technique. It appeared that all of team seven had significantly gained in strength since their last fight. Kabuto's eyes narrowed.

"You aren't the only one who was given techniques" Kabuto said, biting his thumb, tired of toying around. They were both medics and so medic jutsu obviously wasn't working. Getting close to her wasn't an option anymore, and he wasn't about to let her crush her fists into the ground to kill him.

"Kuchiyose no JUTSU!" He cried slamming his palm into the ground.

Sakura's eyes widened as she retreated, breathe stuck in her throat as her heart thudded eratically. Purple glistening scales stood in front of her as the smog cleared; the giant snake glared down on his surroundings. Sakura swallowed, as she looked upon the creature. He had summoned Manda; the snake king.

(Note: because Deidara is alive, Sasuke didn't have his fight with him, therefore making Manda alive as well.)

"Who dares summon me?" Manda snarled, curling.

"I summoned you. Destroy our enemies and I will prepare the sacrifices." Kabuto stated.

"You want me to crush this insect?" Manda said looking upon Sakura as he tilted his head. "She is not worthy of my effort. Tell me now why I shouldn't kill you for the insult" Manda snarled, fangs barred, fixing his slate gray eyes upon the silver haired ninja.

"Do you not remember when the sannin's sword pierced your nose? You nearly lost the use of your mouth. This is Tsunade's apprentice" Kabuto said.

Manda hissed, whipping back and forth in fury of remembering Orochimaru's summoning of him. That paralyzed twit had left him high and dry the last time. Between him and the black spiky haired worm he was becoming irritated of their summoning.

"You _will_ have sacrifices prepared at the end of this, brat." Manda said, launching himself after the already fleeing medic nin, fangs bared.

Kabuto felt the explosion behind him and took one last look at Sakura before heading back towards Sound. It was obvious another large battle was taking place and he needed more information.

Sakura was booking it for all she was worth, chakra enhanced steps sending her fumbling leaps and bounds ahead. As soon as Manda had turned his ugly purple head she had taken off. Summoning Katsuyu would be worthless, the slug queen unable to attack properly or defend properly against Manda. She could only hope that Anbu were on there way, or that she could outdistance the snake. Her bets were on the former as opposed to the later. She glanced behind her. It didn't appear that Kabuto was making chase on her which meant another opponent was heading towards Itachi. Though she knew he could handle himself, it didn't ease Sakura's mind. Itachi was already dealing with so many at a time. She bit her lip.

Manda's grey eyes narrowed as he launched himself forward. Foolish mortal. He rushed towards her, ignoring trees and rock and rubble as he pushed himself faster, jaws snapping in delight as he hissed. He would rend her flesh asunder, tear her apart, piece by piece, poisoning her as he worked….She would pay for her mentor's touch upon him!

She turned, and slammed her fist into the ground, and Manda cursed as the ground up ahead gave way and stopped before he fell under the rocks and gravel. He was able to avoid most of the rubble but then smirked, as she had provided the perfect opportunity for him to tunnel underground. Hers would be the first blood spilt…

"Shit!" Sakura exclaimed as she saw the snake tunnel. It was then that she saw a huge cloud of smoke billow not 300 yards in front of her. The bright red figure emerged from the fog and Sakura's hope rose.

"GAMABUNTA!' She exclaimed half laughing half sobbing in her relief as the frog summon, bounded forward.

The ground exploded behind her, Manda surfacing as he sensed the other summon. He snapped at Sakura, who tumbled to the right to avoid being devoured mid gulp. Manda abandoned her as he avoided the sword aimed for his head and tunneled into the ground. Sakura was propelled upwards by the sheer force of his tunneling and the shaking ground. She stumbled in the air, spinning and bounding from a tree branch, leaping up into a tree. She leaped from tree to tree putting more ground away from her and the giant snake.

Gamabunta propelled on his powerful hind legs, sword down as he crashed into the earth, shaking Sakura from her tree as she had nearly landed. She fell, trying to catch herself on the branches before she broke something when she fell directly into someone's outstretched arms. She collided with his chest jostled, the wind knocked out of her.

"Uhn…" Sakura gasped, the wind whipping her stray pink locks around her as she fought the tresses for visibility. She was pressed against a familiar green jounin vest. She would recognize the ramen on his breath from anywhere.

"Yo, Sakura Chan" Naruto said, stupid grin glowing from ear to ear across his whiskered face.

Sakura felt the all too familiar blood vessel burst on her forehead. "NARUTO!? You IDIOT! What are YOU _doing_ out HERE?!" Sakura screeched, fists waving in fury.

"Ow! Not so Loud, Sakura Chan! I thought you would appreciate me rescuing you from Manda, Dattebayo- But why are you fighting Orochimaru's summon?" Naruto retorted.

"You MORON! You shouldn't be out HERE!? I had it under control!" She snarled, fighting against his green jounin vest and his iron tight grip on her. Naruto cursed, lost his balance and they both tipped forward with a cry. Sakura was able to recover faster, perhaps used to his idiocy in spite of his incredible skill, and caught a stray branch, gluing herself to the tree with Chakra. Her hand shot out lightning fast to grab hold of Naruto before he fell, though the temptation of letting the moron fall lightened her mood. She groaned as her arm took the brunt of the force. It would be a pain in the ass to heal him though if she dropped him. Using her feet for leverage she pushed her feet forward and threw Naruto up to the branch. He landed nimbly, chakra gluing himself to the tree as he helped her up.

"Thanks" Sakura said, eyes gazing out to Gamabunta and Manda. Manda was retreating, back towards sound as Gamabunta drove him off. Gamabunta's sword was wet with blood. Sakura surveyed the waylaid countryside with a heavy sigh. Tsunade would kill them both for this.

Naruto's ocean blue eyes were focused on Gamabunta. "Guess there's no point in following him if he's gone back to sound right?" The ramen eating idiot asked her, deep blue eyes penetrating hers.

"Nope. I wasn't fighting Orochimaru, I was fighting Kabuto" Sakura replied eyes still on the fading summons.

"Kabuto? He can summon Manda too?" Naruto's eyes took on a haunted look. Sakura bit her lip knowing exactly why he was haunted, the dark pit in her stomach resurfacing with startling clarity. It was then that she turned around and gasped at what she saw. She really took in Naruto's appearance. He had lost some weight, his face was paler than usual, his eyes usually worry free still held his free spirit, but pain was the emotion on the forefront of them. Dark brown splotches beneath his eyes told her he wasn't sleeping properly though she couldn't blame him for that. What could she expect though? Sasuke had been his best friend…he had promised to bring him back to her, and the fool was probably torturing himself over what she would think of him and that. _Idiot_ she thought feeling the tears well up in her eyes. Sakura's heart wrenched and broke into a thousand tiny pieces at the state of him.

"Naruto…" She said brokenly. Naruto trembled, eyes closing, as they both felt the familiar haunting pain resurface.

Naruto had studied her from the moment he had felt her chakra in Konoha. It was impossible not to see Manda the huge snake summon, and Naruto had acted. Then she was in his arms and he could breathe again. Call him paranoid but he had lost far too many people. Her death would crush him. She was all he had left to hold onto. Sakura chan looked worse for wear from her trip; wherever she had been. She was thinner, and worn ragged. Her clothes were burnt, sliced and singed in places. She didn't wear her anbu uniform but unidentifiable black shirt and pants and fishnets. Her bubblegum pink hair was out of place and sweat soaked, lacking it's usual luster. She had blood on her clothes, some of it hers, some probably Kabuto's given the smell. Her green eyes were weary and glazed over in fatigue, dark grey smudges under her eyes from months of lack of sleep adding up. She was toned through Anbu's training but those very muscles trembled from exhaustion. Her skin lacked it's usual creamy luster but it could be the smoke, dirt and grime built up on her skin.

Anbu arrived on the scene, landing on the tree branches next to her startling them both from their thoughts and forcing them to swallow their emotions.

"Taishou!" the Anbu members called.

Sakura pushed her pain aside. There were more important things "Tagoro" She acknowledged a ghost of a smile playing across her face as the man embraced her. He was like a little brother, Sakura thought with a smile. The youngest member of Anbu aside from her.

"The Hokage has requested your presence immediately. Both of you." Tagoro said, releasing her as he caught Naruto's eyes narrow. He glanced at them both beneath his porcelain monkey mask. Sakura merely nodded too exhausted emotionally and physically to reply.

"Taishou, do you need medical attention?" Togoro asked.

"I'm alright." Sakura replied wearily waving her hand at him dismissively. She stumbled, and Naruto was there to catch her.

"Just… a little woozy" She said with a grin. Naruto's strong arms supported her as he threw her arm around his shoulder, hand gripping her waist to help her walk.

"Lean on me, Sakura Chan." Naruto murmured bringing her close in comfort.

"Welcome Home" He added, stormy blue eyes looking deep into hers.

(*IMPORTANT NOTE*: For the sake of the story Kabuto did not try to attach Orochimaru to himself. Sorry I'm trying to keep everything as accurate as possible to the manga but some things had to be sacrificed and in this case it was Orochimaru.)


	13. Sorrow

AN: The fun begins. Thanks to melodi moon for her excellent review, ever so helpful in the process of this. Crap. I spelt Togoro's name wrong once in the last chapter. He's a random character I made up on the spot. *shrug* the rest of Naruto life belong to Mashimoto sensei.

_Sorrow_

_(n.)__ The uneasiness or pain of mind which is produced by the loss of any good, real or supposed, or by disappointment in the expectation of good; grief at having suffered or occasioned evil; regret; unhappiness; sadness. _

_(n.)__ To feel pain of mind in consequence of evil experienced, feared, or done; to grieve; to be sad; to be sorry._

If you had to associate a word with Uchiha Itachi it would probably be subtlety. Uchiha Itachi was a subtle man, of few words and very precise and intentional action. He was not someone you would pick out of a crowd, and frankly he preferred to keep it that way. He did not enjoy or partake in large, loud, boisterous displays of anything, whether that be affection, interaction or otherwise. He was not the sort of man for such carrying on. Itachi wasn't what one could call a violent tempered man, though violent might be a word found under his many descriptions. He was not bothered by such distinction. When provoked, one did what one must. Itachi had no remorse for the fools who choose to fight him. It wasn't that he was deliberately cruel, you see. He would not fight unless he had to, and then would not start a fight unless he was provoked.

Sending fairly large quantities of ninja after him and being assailed with kunai could legitimately in his perspective be construed as provocation. Itachi was not one to tolerate provocation, particularly not from barely jounin ranked ninja that he had cut his teeth on in the days of the academy. Itachi, though he tried to seek a peaceful resolution was forced to action and responded in turn. Violence was the only language these ninja apparently spoke and he would speak in turn on what he thought of the entire ninja system. He would play their game better than they would and turn the world upside down until it realized the error of its ways. After all what better way to overthrow a system then to work within the system itself?

Currently, Itachi was irritated. Enjoying useless and needless violence that did not advance the cause was foolish. Itachi was no fool. Itachi had responded in turn only after communicating had failed. Not only was he provoked into action, but the entire fiasco had quite literally blown up in his face. Definitely _not_ subtle. Itachi was not someone who liked to have attention attracted to his actions. His cloak was singed because the ninja sent from sound had decided it would be an excellent idea to blow up the entire fucking countryside in an attempt to dismantle him without first even checking their sources. The fool had only become more foolish as it had taken out his comrades, plus his own meaningless existence and had set off Itachi's traps making their deaths and mortal wounds even more painful. There was no way for Itachi to escape from this without killing them all, which wasn't necessarily an issue of moral or ethical dilemma. No, his issue was the unwanted attention it would attract, thus the source of his irritation.

Someone would come and investigate his handiwork which meant he might have hunter nin after him if this issue wasn't resolved. As it was he had risked diplomatic relations with sound which were tenuous at best. Orochimaru was still as always, as treacherous as a snake. The only reason an all out war had not broke out between the two fractions was because neither Orochimaru nor Akatsuki could afford such costly casualties with enemies like Leaf and Sound hell bent on destroying them and waiting for such an issue to occur.

Needless to say they danced around each other, Akatsuki was allowed within sound given no incident provoked them to take away such an "obvious privilege". Orochimaru was not a priority on the list of issues and missions leader sama led them on yet and so there was no reason to deliberately provoke them. Tenuous…it was only a matter of time before Akatsuki took down the snake sannin and his empire along with the others. It all had to be destroyed, they needed to start from scratch, to take responsibility for the bloody system they had created and try again.

Leader sama would not be pleased. Depending on how sound acted this could be costly, though Itachi suspected it would be an issue of damages paid not an act of all out war, as Sound's grip on their country was fragile. People were starting to question Orochimaru's strength and failing health particularly since Sasuke had left their organization so many years ago. Orochimaru had yet to be seen since that time. His empire was ready to fall.

He brushed the falling ash off of his coat, and decided to let the burnt and dying ninja suffer a bit longer, then kill them for his troubles. He had bigger things to worry about, mostly the rather large snake summons that had taken off in the direction that Sakura had left towards, and a large Toad that appeared to be guarding the borders and said giant snake heading his way, now.

The giant toad summons meant the kyuubi vessel was around, though the thought left little comfort in light of Sakura's safety. The boy did not have as much control over the beast as he wanted to think he did. Sakura's safety in the hands of a boy with no control over the demon he had inside of him made the Sharingan user anxious to confirm the medic's health himself. Trusting her health to the adolescent idiot would not be the best of ideas. He felt Kabuto's ki, and though irritated further by Orochimaru's lackey heading his way, he supposed it would be easier to deal with the sound issue now then opposed to later.

"Kabuto." Itachi acknowledged as the silver haired ninja stepped out of the brush. He looked worse for wear, his attire sliced on his arms and chest. Dried blood was stuck to the shirt, though Itachi was sure that Kabuto was trying to mask the fact that he had bleed. Itachi realized with alarm, though of course it did not show, that those slices were caused by twin katana. Manda, the snake summon had gone after Sakura, and Kabuto had more than likely fought with her. Itachi's thoughts whirled. If Kabuto was still here, alive and in one piece then had Sakura actually made it? Had the demon fox boy summoned Gamabunta out of rage of her death? The thought was alarming as he had expended quite a substantial amount of time and energy into keeping her alive and mostly out of harms way.

The girl was a magnet for trouble, but he hadn't suspected her to attract someone on a level such as Kabuto's interference. The silver haired nin though weak was annoyingly persistant at staying alive, much like his master and sometime mentor. Itachi shook off the thought. The kyuubi was rather fond of Sakura having been on the same team as her, for kami sama knew how long at this point. Had she died, he might have released the kyuubi in his anger and as Konoha was still presumably standing and sound was not crushed to the ground he supposed it was safer and more logical to think her alive and on the border of Konoha until further proven wrong.

"Uchiha san. I come in the name of Orochimaru sama. Why are sound's men dead?" Kabuto asked, black eyes narrowed, silver reflecting off of his glasses as he glared at the Uchiha.

"They attacked me, presumably thinking I had started a fire within sound's borders." Itachi shrugged nonchalant and casual. He would not pretend to be threatened simply for sound's own glorification. He could crush Kabuto here and now without the slightest bit of heisitation and he would not dance around that fact to be diplomatic. This too, was also not the point of them conversing. It wasn't like he was particularly apologetic for his actions as he had tried to talk Kabuto's men out of the fight in the first place, though the politics of his actions would be a nuisance.

"And you would lead me to believe that you did not start them?" Kabuto pressed.

Manda arrived, glaring at the Uchiha prodigy beneath them, grey green eyes slates of rage that burned as he quivered in fury. He remembered _well _the last time Orochimaru had summoned him to fight _this _one. He would never forget that day as he had barely escaped with his life like his summons master. Manda would have his revenge on all of the Uchiha, _this_ moment simply was not the time or the place. Manda could be patient in waiting for that time, but he refused to be subservient. The insect would know his place, and remember Manda's. Ignoring the fact that they were in conversation, he spoke scathingly to Kabuto interrupting them completely.

"The bitch escaped, the toad blocking my path. I refused to follow her into hidden leaf, for obvious reasons. You will prepare my sacrifices at Sound, brat, after you are done dealing with the Uchiha worm." Manda commanded slinking away back to sound's capitol.

Itachi smirked, the fact that the snake king was moody and temperamental was no secret. The snake had good reason to fear the Uchiha, and good reason to be resentful and so Itachi let it slide. The snake had also been useful in giving him the information he needed to know and struck a blow to Kabuto as Kabuto's enemy; Itachi himself was given such valuable information. Itachi decided that diplomatically "playing nice" as Konan put it might gain him more useful information. He would also mislead Kabuto as to make sure that his arrangement with Sakura was not compromised. It would be problematic for Sound to become aware of what he was doing with his little medic nin.

"Trouble with Leaf nin?" Itachi questioned, sardonic smile mocking as he looked upon the silver haired medic.

Kabuto flushed, angry, but unable to do anything with his anger, lest he provoke the Uchiha into a fight he could not possibly hope to win.

"I chased a leaf nin to the border of sound. They are becoming more… problematic." Kabuto said jaw clenching.

"Indeed. The very leaf nin started a fight with me and retreated as your sound ninja came to talk". Itachi said covering his tracks.

"She was that close to the capitol?" Kabuto murmured, lost in his thoughts.

What was Sakura doing so close to sound? And why was Uchiha Itachi involved in a circumstance so close? Granted the two were on very different sides, but for the two to be in the same general area of Sound at nearly the same point…anyone intelligent would wonder. She wouldn't have been able to get into Sound in the first place without being noticed, particularly in Anbu gear. There was something of this situation that screamed too suspicious for mere coincidence. Not that these events wouldn't turn in Kabuto's favor, if there was, indeed, a connection between the two, but he had much more information to discover.

"Did you happen to know her identification? It would be helpful to know who I need to hunt." Itachi said mildly.

Kabuto said nothing for a moment.

"I apologize, we've gotten off subject. Please explain to me again what happened to my men." Kabuto asked, as he sensed the last of them die with their wounds. Kabuto sighed, irritated. He would never get the real story. It couldn't be helped though, he supposed.

"I was attacked by the leaf nin, who set fire to the forest in an attempt to lock me within the area and she escaped as your sound nin attacked me before getting specifics. I presume it was the same nin you were chasing though I suppose Leaf nin are everywhere. Perhaps the nin you fought had a bet going? Anbu is typical for their conceit in skill set and ability." Itachi said.

"I do not know. Regardless I will have to report to Orochimaru sama and the damages will need to be accessed and dealt with by your organization." Kabuto said, giving him the usual protocol for such a situation.

"Aah. I'm sure Leader sama would dispatch Zetsu for you, who would be happy to restore your vegetation. I am sorry about the lives of your men but they did start the fight even after I tried to explain the situation." Itachi said apologetically.

"It would be appreciated if you could bring up the issue with your master" Kabuto replied.

Itachi would have sneered, if he believed in showing emotion. Master was a bad term for Leader sama and what he did for the organization. They were not a village, or a typical kage hierarchy, but a group of individuals that chose to submit to the vision of Akatsuki for various reasons and principles.

"And the leaf nin. What will you do with her?" Itachi asked.

"The usual. Why do you ask?" Kabuto replied with a shrug.

"It does not bode well for an Akatsuki member to be un-intentionally provoked. I would ask that you leave this matter up to Akatsuki to handle" Itachi replied in a tone that left no room for argument.

It was true that if Akatsuki had been attacked by Sakura, it would look bad on Akatsuki's reputation if the story got out. It would also look bad if the story got out for Sounds part, Kabuto thought, because others might get ideas about sound's defenses. It benefited neither organization if word traveled, which was fortunate and yet troublesome. It was far too suspicious that Itachi had killed all of the witnesses involved. Kabuto seriously doubted that Sakura had been given orders by Tsunade to go into sound to kill Uchiha Itachi. Which meant what? Did Sakura simply think Itachi had been the murderer, as Sasuke's "death" was common knowledge. Kabuto could only wonder if Sakura would report her fight with Itachi to her Hokage. It would be impossible to avoid reporting his fight with her because of Manda and apparently Naruto's summons; Gamabunta. His mind spun with the possibility of several scenarios of problems for him. Why had Sakura been in sound?

He needed to access the situation, but first he had to deal with Manda at the capitol. Grimacing, Kabuto turned to Itachi to make sure they were done with their conversation.

"I will leave the punishment of the leaf nin to you" Kabuto said.

Itachi nodded in dismissal, and the two parted ways, both carrying sinking suspicions about one another.

……………………………………………………………….

Naruto supported Sakura until they reached the gates, Where Sakura pushed him off. She was perfectly capable of walking on her own no matter how tired she was. Anbu escorted them to the gates and then took off, except for Togoro who continued babbling on about the squads and recent news. Naruto rolled his eyes at Togoro's blabber and gave Sakura a look that begged her to dismiss the irritating youth. Sakura sighed, ignoring Naruto's impatience, and trying to focus back on Togoro's words.

"Taishou sama?" Togoro questioned noticing her lack of attention as he usually noticed small details.

"Nothing, Togoro, I'm just tired. Please continue" Sakura said.

Togoro continued to babble, his words speeding up in excitement as he talked about various missions and battles he was sent on in her absence that were common knowledge and not classified. She not sure whether she appreciated the editing Togoro was doing or not and he knew that she knew he was doing it. The…ceremony was not a subject he brought up, though she could tell the subject was on the outskirts of the subjects he mentioned. Togoro would never bring it up in front of her knowing what it would do. The last Anbu member to bring up Sasuke in public with her had ended up sparring with her and being put in intensive care for a few weeks under Sakura's supervision. He had relapsed because of a few infections, apparently extremely painful. It was the same with Naruto who had put quite a few anbu members with loose tongues and sharp words in intensive care.

Sakura appreciated Togoro's sensitivity to her. Togoro was only 15 and had been a recent addition to Anbu's ranks. The youngest member since Uchiha Itachi was his name to fame. Togoro was being kept sharply observed for any signs of change or trouble in his temperament and the council was less than pleased as usual by the Hokage's reluctant decision. Tsunade given the delicate nature of the situation, had been hesitant to allow him to take the tests much less become a full ranking Anbu member. Only through Sakura's interference and insistence was he even allowed to take the test. He had passed much to everyone's chagrin, and Sakura's pleasure and she had insisted he be put among her squad. After all if there was going to be trouble with Togoro, she would want to be the one to deal with it.

Togoro had slowly worked his way into the Anbu throng and was doing quite well for himself. Sakura also had an affection for the kid; he was like the little brother Sakura had never had. Of course, Togoro seemed to have other ideas about their "relationship" and occasionally voiced his opinions among the other Anbu and mostly among Naruto who never ceased to bring said affections to Sakura's attention. Sakura, for her part, pretended to be blissfully ignorant, choosing not to crush him ambitions or acknowledge them. This fact drove Naruto insane. Togoro and Naruto tolerated each other, for Sakura's sake, but she would never understand the tension and almost rivalry between the two that seemed to occur. Naruto being threatened in whatever way the jounin felt, by a 15 year old, was just too much at times. His jealousy was immature at best.

Sakura looked up to see the Hokage tower in sight.

"This is as far as I can escort you Haruno Taishou. Is there anything else I can do for you?" Togoro asked pleasantly. The boy was always so eager to please performing above and beyond expectations where she was concerned.

"Yeah. You can scat, monkey boy." Naruto growled, thumb pointing him off.

"I don't believe I was addressing you, Naruto _senpai_" Togoro added.

Sakura felt the blood vessel pop on her forehead as Naruto's face flushed angry and he was reaching for his kunai. Togoro refused to address Naruto with the respect of a jounin because he was Anbu and so he called him Naruto senpai to irritate the ramen eating idiot through rank. It worked, similar to the effect Sai's banter had on him albeit atleast Togoro was semi appropriate about his insults.

"Stop it." Sakura ordered, in a tone that meant a beating would happen if it continued. Togoro dropped it.

"I'm sorry, Taishou" He bowed stiffly, porcelain mask unable to hide the glare he shot at Naruto.

"I'm not the one you should apologize to." Sakura rebuked, eyeing Naruto and Togoro.

"Is that an _order_, Taishou?" Togoro asked painfully, whilst Naruto snickered.

Sakura sighed for the umpteenth time. "That is not something that can be forced, Togoro kun. I am not your moral parole officer" She said simply.

"I hope that I was not offensive to you" Togoro bowed stiffly to Naruto.

"Like hell you weren't, shrimp-" Naruto retorted.

"NARUTO!" Sakura snapped.

"Have a nice day…or something" Naruto dismissed. Sakura sighed. It was the best she could hope for in this situation.

"Good luck, Taishou sama" Togoro saluted and disappeared with a poof.

"Gods, Sakura chan I wish you would put that brat in his place. Tell him he doesn't have a chance in hell. He gets more lovesick every day. You should hear the things he tells the jounin" Naruto whined, hands behind his head as he walked next to her.

"He's like a little brother to me, Naruto. He'll grow out of it." Sakura said with a shrug.

"Not if you keep encouraging him" Naruto chided. "He'll do something stupid to show off to you, and try to keep you safe," Naruto retorted

"Like you?" Sakura interrupted, a smile gracing her worn face.

Naruto flushed. "That's different. Sakura chan, if he gets killed by doing something stupid, you know you'll feel responsible-" Naruto started on another one of his tirades.

"Taishou sama. The hokage expects you." The Anbu guards outside of the hokage tower acknowledged. Sakura nodded in turn and whatever else Naruto was about to say was lost as they made their way to Tsunade's office. She knocked once, twice.

"Come in" She heard the irritated voice.

Sakura scowled. Obviously shishou was going through finances if she had that sort of tone. Naruto wilted as well, knowing _all_ too well what her tone meant.

"Have a seat" She ordered curtly. Sakura sat, and Naruto stood. "That mean you too brat" Tsunade said.

"I want to stand, Obaa san." Naruto said, being obstinant as usual.

Tsunade chose not fight him, another bad sign as she usually cut straight to the point in her anger, choosing not to have their typical banter when she was in a good mood or only mildly upset.

"You want to explain to me, brat, _why _you summoned Gamabunta to terrorize the border of Konoha, ruin our forests by summoning him, and furthermore _ditched_ your team to do so." Tsunade started.

"Naruto!" Sakura gasped, shocked. She hadn't thought that he would be _that _reckless, even if her safety was the subject of concern.

"I saw Manda summoned and felt whoever it was, Orochimaru was involved and needed help." Naruto replied.

He paused, fists clenched, turning white, his stripes on his face getting thicker and his eyes fighting a shade of purple as his pupils turned to thin sits of rage. He spoke through clenched fangs as he continued, breathing deeply as he tried to get a hold of his anger.

"I'm sure you felt…_his _chakra close by…"Naruto paused taking a deep breath.

Sakura grabbed his hand, squeezing it and giving him an encouraging smile. Naruto's eyes returned to their stormy blue, returning her small smile with one that could have blot out the sun as he squeezed her hand. He turned his attention back to Tsunade.

"But given your orders, Obaa san, about me staying in Konoha due to Akatsuki's activity, I did not pursue him or leave Konoha. I did, however, feel it was my duty to help whoever it was Manda was after because a summons fight would have been even more devastating to Konoha's countryside, even for an Anbu captain. I found out after I summoned Gambunta that Sakura chan had fought Kabuto before dealing with Manda. Gambunta succeeded in driving the snake off of Konoha's borders and back into neutral territory and I was able to escort Sakura chan here, Dattebayo" Naruto finished.

"And you felt it was _okay_ to take it upon yourself to promptly assign your squad a D ranked mission to clean your apartment whilst _you_ went off to fight Manda to save Sakura?!" Tsunade said, blood vessel blaring on her forehead.

"Uh…hehe I didn't think they would actually report on their circumstances-" Naruto began awkwardly.

"The cleaning of your apartment is _at least _a B class mission possibly bordering on A rank, if we were being honest about the-the things growing there! You should know better than to use your jounin privilege, so carelessly. You will report to me for extra training in the evenings as punishment for your hasty decision."

"Aw man, c'mon Obaa san, Kakashi gave us worse assignments while he read porn, and Sakura chan was in trouble!" Naruto whined.

"Regardless, I gave you authority over a group of geinin with the intent that it would teach you responsibility. Sakura is perfectly able to take care of herself and Anbu members escorted her back rendering your help useless."

"Hai…" He said reluctantly, giving Sakura chan a smile and an extra squeeze with his hand.

Sakura didn't smile back simply shook her head at the both of them. He didn't regret it at all, and both of them knew he would do it again because that's the kind of ramen brained idiot Naruto was. More than likely Tsunade was simply using the lessons as an excuse to train him in hokage duties and get out of paperwork and so she wasn't exactly punishing him persay. Pride was justified and satisfied all around she supposed but it didn't make the situation any less ridiculous.

"You are dismissed, Jounin Uzumaki to help your team clean out the remainder of your apartment" Tsunade said with a grin.

"Damn…" Naruto hung his shoulders in defeat, heading out the doors. The doors shut with a click.

Sakura's smile faded as her Shishou's face became serious. Sakura didn't want to break the silence though it was obvious her master was waiting for her to say something.

"Care to explain to me why I received this?" Tsunade said, waving the letter.

Sakura winced, and pulled out the manila folder which had survived in her pack and set the money on the table. It was quite a bit of money.

Tsunade frowned. "While I appreciate the loyalty to Konoha, and the bonus of putting Konoha in even higher graces with the Kazekage of Sand, you owe me a bit more of an explanation than that." Tsunade said, eyeing her apprentice.

"I.." Sakura's throat tightened as it hit her full force that she had missed Sasuke's funeral. "I- I had to be anywhere but Konoha, Shishou…"

"Sakura, he's dead." Tsunade said, none to kindly making Sakura flinch again "You need to accept that. You didn't simply go off on a mission, you _ran_ away from dealing with his death. You left without word or permission for an extended period of time and no one could find you. I had to lie and tell Naruto the night before the ceremony that I had put you on an urgent mission. As an Anbu captain Sakura, your behavior was simply inexcusable." Tsunade reprimanded harshly.

"I'm sorry you had to lie to him for me…" Sakura paused as she gauged her long time mentor. "Y-you thought I had left to become a missing nin?!" Sakura accused, shocked.

"I didn't know what to think, Sakura" Tsunade replied, hands folded as she rested her chin against them.

"I couldn't be in Konoha for it, I _couldn't_ stay, Shishou. I'm sorry but there was no way I could be there for Sasuke's funeral. I did complete a mission in Konoha's interests, so it's not like I left the village for good… and I did send you a note to let you know what happened." Sakura retorted, hurt and angry.

Other Anbu members had done similar things when they had stumbled upon leads outside of Konoha. What she was so upset about, Sakura did not understand.

"I'm going to have to suspend your rank as captain for the time being." Tsunade said sadly.

"W-what? Tsunade Shishou, this is completely unnecessary-"Sakura started

"What if something had happened while you were gone? What if Akatsuki had raided Konoha while you were gone on your escapade? Sakura you are an Anbu captain and you knew with that power comes certain responsibilities. How do you think that looked to your squad members that you took off at random? Many of them knew inspite of my report that you had slunk off to escape. As a leader, you cannot make your decisions so emotionally-"

"Emotionally? Emotionally?! I _loved_ him Shishou…when Orochimaru dies maybe you'll know what it feels like." Sakura snapped anger getting the better of her.

"Orochimaru is _dead_ to me, Sakura. The man I knew…the man I…the man I worked with on my team is dead, replaced by this mask of a person wearing his skin. And I will remind you that I have already lost _both_ of my teammates and I am still here in office as Godaime Hokage. I did not run away from my responsibilities" Tsunade snapped, voice low, but those hazel brown eyes were sharp with anger.

Sakura quivered in silence, effectively silenced.

"His grave is next to Obito's." Tsunade said. "The ceremony was attended by thousands, though most were there to see if he would actually be buried in Konoha soil or not. Naruto had _no one_ there with him during the entire ceremony. Kakashi was on a mission, Iruka as well. He was overwhelmed by people telling lies of condolence to him the entire day about Sasuke and he had no help, no one to shoulder the pain. How _could_ you leave him like that?" Tsunade asked her, the maternal feelings for Naruto welling up. Tsunade had a mother's interest in the future hokage.

Sakura said nothing more on that subject, tears welling in her eyes and Tsunade moved on professionally.

"Who will take my place as captain, while I'm gone?" Sakura asked, emotionless.

"Neji will over see your squad along with his own." Tsunade replied.

Sakura choked on her anger. She would never live this one down from the arrogant byakugan user.

"I suppose I'll be in the hospital while I'm on this temporary relief then?" Sakura asked, grateful for the sanctuary of injuries to keep her mind from thinking on _him_.

"No, I need you cataloguing scrolls for the medical files in the tower." Tsunade replied. Sakura's green eyes widened, in surprise. She really must have blown it for Tsunade to lock her out of the hospital. Because Tsunade had experience such death with Jiraiya's funeral she was obviously hell bent on forcing Sakura to deal with her feelings. Damn her, she would have never treated any of the other Anbu as she did her. Sakura trembled, green eyes filling with tears though she refused to shed them and swallowed her sob.

Tsunade sighed. "I hope that this will teach _you_ a lesson in responsibility, as well. Our life as ninja is hard, Sakura. We cannot let our emotions overcome our responsibilities. You should have at least asked me before leaving so abruptly."

"And what of our loyalty to our team mates? The very loyalty that Konoha fosters and musters so we can complete our missions? Is that not me and Naruto's way of the ninja, as well as that of the village? Konoha does not teach us how to mourn, nor allow us to grieve that loss which it fosters to bloom and grow in the first place" Sakura scowled.

Tsunade did not reply.

"How did he die?" Sakura asked finally.

"That is Kage classified information." Tsunade replied.

"Bullshit!" Sakura cried, rising to her feet.

Tsunade's eyebrow arched at Sakura's blatant disrespect.

"I have bled and sweat for Konoha for _years_. Me and Naruto waited mission after mission for you to let us go after him, to give us _permission_ to go after him. And it never came, though we brought it up to _you,_ and up to council time and time again. How _dare _you keep this from me?!" Sakura sobbed, feeling overwhelmed by betrayal and grief.

"Regardless of the past, or your present feelings, you will respect my decision, Sakura." Tsunade said with finality.

"He was my _teammate,_ Shishou!" She slammed her palm on Tsunade's desk, cracking it. "I think I_ deserve_ to know, at least, how he died!" She said, trembling.

"It is classified information, Sakura." Tsunade replied. Sakura sat, trembling in rage, fists white as the tears broke the surface.

"I trust that you will take the rest of the night off to mourn for Sasuke and collect yourself. Report tomorrow afternoon to begin your duties and Shizune will let you into the archives. Dismissed, Anbu Haruno." Tsunade ordered.

Sakura slammed the door behind her, the picture frames on the wall falling and crashing, though not breaking as Tsunade had the sense to get them made with better substance from Naruto's temper tantrums in her office. He had done the same thing a few days ago when he had asked how he died and demanded to see the body. Both of them were grieving at the worst time possible. His death had happened at the worst time possible, so unexpected. She sighed, pouring herself a glass of sake as she felt the sorrow of team seven mirror and mimic her own dead team. She felt the waters of grief go over her head, drowning herself in sake as she continued to pour through paperwork.

_Please Review_


	14. Tragedy

AN: Poor Sakura. Responsibility sucks. Heh, it's a good thing I don't write to pan handle for reviews. Things are going katsuyu slow, and this next chapter isn't pleasant, but hopefully you've noted some improvement with our dear Sakura and one Uchiha Itachi.

_ "In Tragedy, every moment is Eternity." -Christopher Fry-_

Sakura stumbled her way home, hoping to God no one saw her along her way. Fat chance with her luck. And of course he stumbled into her path.

"Sakura Hag" Sai greeted that same God damned smile on his face.

Green eyes narrowed. Her relationship with Sai had not improved as the years had grown.

"Leave me alone, Sai" Sakura said bristling, the tears and sobs gone from her face as she stared at the root anbu member who blocked her path. Subtly she shifted into a defensive stance.

"You left his funeral on a mission I heard? Must have been something pretty important to leave that shit for brains Uchiha bastard." Sai said provokingly, shifting offensively.

"W-what did you say?" Sakura asked, startled.

"I didn't think you were hard of hearing, Sakura Dog." Sai replied.

"I told you once Sai I would not tolerate you insulting him, I meant it then, as I do now."

" I think you weren't gone on a mission. I think you ran away because the shit for brains Uchiha is dead. You couldn't deal with it could you?" Sai retorted.

He shifted, faster than the blink of eye because the ground where he was just standing had been crushed into pieces by those shapely fists with green nail polish.

"Shut your mouth" She said, deathly serious as her eyes took on the look of a hardened anbu captain, intent to kill.

He barely dodged the upturning of her palm that would've crushed his larynx by kicking it away with his foot, as he leapt back before her heel could snap his leg off. Sakura would have to put another coat of nail polish because it had flaked.

"What did you do while gone since you couldn't have Uchiha's penis?" Sai remarked.

Much like their first meeting where she clobbered him, Sakura snapped, fists flying at him as he dodged, and ducked and weaved. That kunai she'd thrown had nearly hit, even ricocheting off his other kunai. She was always intelligent, which made her angles deadly. He had to be careful as she had grown in skill and strength. She had rightfully earned the position of Anbu captain.

"Get back here, you pansy ass, so I can pummel you _properly_" Sakura snarled jade eyes alight with fire. _Shannaro!_ Inner Sakura cheered.

"As if you could keep up, Hag!" Sai smiled, as he barely kept just one step ahead of her.

Sakura's fury gave her that extra step of adrenaline she needed and she did indeed catch up to him, and kicked him into the trees. Sai took the hit well, absorbing the brunt of the impact and rolling in time to flip kick off the tree and dart away before her fists crushed his brains into the oak. Sakura flipped off the tree, darting after him as he leaped from tree to tree. He led her to the Anbu training grounds, perching on the court as he waited for her.

She launched those chakra blades at him and he dodged them, though they boomeranged around. He brought up his own chakra blades to dissipate them and tumbled as something of her summoning rose from his previous position. The earth jutsu she'd summoned, a golem type creature caused him to pull out one of the scrolls he had handy, his own artistic summons battling as he launched himself at her. He exchanged a few hits from her kunai dueling and both of their kunai's lunching off the court. They settled for a volley of taijutsu in the absence of their kunai, avoiding the battles of their jutsu summoned compadres.

Sakura had launched a storm of kunai at him and he dodged it as he threw one of his artistic designs at her. She leapfrogged over the creature which exploded into her golem. One of her kunai had contained an exploding tag, and Sai was thrown backwards, slipping through the wire net meant to entrap him as he launched senbon at her. Her clone turned to a log and her water jutsu did nothing as his ink one dissipated. He broke through the surface of the earth having landed a kick to her face that was purpling. He launched a fire jutsu at her and she summoned chakra to shield through it, jumping straight into the flames. The fire turned to Water, launching her, green spinning ball of chakra into the courtyard, below.

She flipped, and darted to the side of his kick that crumbled the ground beneath them, as the Taijutsu began.

Togoro landed, perched near the side lines of the court, eyes wide with worry as he watched the two exchange blows. Neji sneered at the monkey child as his byakugan eyed the two. Yamato sensei smiled from where he sat on the sidelines.

"Close your mouth, Kid or you might let flies in" Kiba said simply, eyeing the amount of damage to the court from their battle.

"She's fucking pissed" Kiba remarked, pulling out his swords to clean them.

"State the obvious" Neji retorted sarcastically, with a sneer.

"Should we.." Togoro didn't finish eying the others.

"You wanna stop them? Be my guest, twerp" Kiba remarked with a smirk.

"But Taishou sama is-" Togoro interrupted.

"Holding her own. What did Sai do now?" Shikamaru remarked having heard the commotion from his underground office and decided it was too troublesome not to investigate.

"Who knows? He doesn't know he's getting his ass pummeled" Kiba said, sniffing the air. Sai hit the courtyard hard as she got in a particularly nasty hit.

Togoro saluted Shikamaru, who rolled his eyes at the troublesome youth. What he was doing here Shikamaru would never know, though the youth followed around Sakura like a lost puppy for the most part.

"She's been informed?" Shikamaru asked with a look to the Hyuuga elder.

He nodded, never taking his eyes off of Sakura's form. "Her taijutsu is excellent since Lee worked with her"

"She's been busting her Ass. It had to pay off sometime. Now she's wiping the court with pasty face" Ino remarked, with a smirk, pulling her porcelain tiger mask up as she landed.

Togoro's eyes widened as he took in the buxom Anbu blonde. He hadn't even felt her coming. "It's rude to stare, monkey brat" She said, ice blue eyes narrowing at the rookie.

"Yamanaka" Neji acknowledged still watching the fight, arms crossed. Shikamaru made no formal acknowledgement of the blonde, but a smile did tug at the corners of his mouth at her arrival.

"Succesful mission?" He asked her in a muted tone, as the ground exploded in front of them from another one of Sakura's punches. Both of their eyes were focused on the battle.

She nodded, giving him a fierce grin. "Did you expect anything less?"

Shikamaru sighed. "Casualties?" He asked, eyebrow arched. She grimaced, avoiding his gaze.

"Troublesome." Shikamaru sighed.

"Tell me about it." She muttered, eyeing her best friend. "Watch your side, Forehead" She smirked, as holes dotted the side of Sakura's anbu uniform.

"Shut it, Ino-Pig" She grunted, as she dodged, hand standing over the ink that sizzled on the ground beneath her.

Ino smirked.

Togoro watched with growing ill as his petal haired Anbu captain launched jutsu after jutsu at her former teammate. The level of jutsu he was launching at her could kill if she didn't dodge. His concern bubbled to a point where Sakura was about to be consumed by three of his ink creations, having just landed from her twist.

"Shit!" Kiba said trying to latch onto, Togoro too late. Launching himself he formed a ring of lightning around his Taishou.

"Taishou sama…" Togoro cried in relief turning around to hug Sakura…who promptly turned into a log. Togoro only had a minute to ponder this outcome when he felt her foot connect with his face, cheek breaking instantly as he was thrown into the wall a good 50 yards away on the court. The area where he stood was blown up by explosives.

"This isn't a place for children" Sakura said simply, snapping her gloves on, and returning her focus to her opponent.

Neji shook his head, Kiba was covering his mouth aghast at how hard Sakura had kicked him while Shikamaru sighed muttering about troublesome anbu rookies.

"Men" Ino muttered as the three just stood there looking like idiots. Ino went to go check on the kid to make sure he was still alive.

"You breathing?" Ino said, checking for a pulse.

"Ah." Togoro muttered, several ribs cracked, and his cheekbone broken. His whole face was swollen, his back bruised.

"You should know better than to interrupt an Anbu captain's fight." Neji said, light purple eyes disapproving as he looked on the rookie.

"Sakura's nasty with her substitution logs. You never know when they're real or fake" Kiba remarked, grinning fangs as he watched.

"Hai..I just-" Togoro whimpered.

"If you had done something so foolish on a mission I would have had your rank suspended. That kind of nonsense gets ninja killed. Remember it next time you attempt something so stupid." Neji rebuked, leaving.

"Ass" Ino glared in his leaving. "He forgets that he-"

"Ino" Shikamaru said pinching his nose bridge. There were very few people who could tak to her like that and not get their ass pummeled. There were fewer people who could get away with using that tone and actually silence her in the same breathe. The blonde glared at the retreating Hyuuga, but said nothing more.

Sakura at last fell to her knees, trembling from exertion. She had used far too many jutsu in their battle. She always had some in reserve, but she'd pushed her body too fast too far today to continue to stand much less use the chakra she had. After all there was only so much pressure a body could take before it gave out.

"I think this means I win" Sai remarked, until his legs gave out from under him.

Sakura grinned, blood dribbling down her chin, and her other eye swollen shut.

"When?" Sai asked, eyeing his useless legs.

"It was a slow process, not something noticeable at first. You let me get too close. I lined some of my kunai while you were distracted" Sakura said with a grin and hit the ground, unable to support herself any longer.

"It was pre fight, was it?" Sai asked.

"I would never cheat" Sakura replied, hurt. It had taken her years simply to get to the point of fighting semi evenly with him.

"Clever. A draw then?" Sai asked.

Sakura nodded. "Thank you Sai."

"You are welcome, Sakura Hag" He murmured, poofing out of existence.

"You done pmsing?" Kiba remarked.

"Remember Kiba Kun that I am your medic. I can find all kinds of creative ways to use tampons the next time you're bleeding." She said with a smile.

Kiba blanched.

Sakura sighed, green chakra healing her many cuts and abrasions. She reached in her holster for the soldier pill and swallowed, her health restored. After a few minutes more of healing she got to her feet, and headed to Togoro.

"I figured you would survive till the end" She smiled, beaming brightly.

"Gomen nasai, Taishou sama-" Togoro began.

"Neji's right. You should know better" Sakura said, getting to work healing his ribs so at least he could stand. She set his cheekbone and helped minimally with the healing and swelling.

"You keep the bruise to remind you not to do anything so stupid again" Sakura remarked.

"Hai." He replied, head hung in shame.

"Dismissed." She told him, a quick whirl through her jutsu and she summoned the cabinet. She pulled out a towel and wiped the sweat and blood off of her.

"I'll need to be careful the next time we spar" Yamato remarked with a soft smile.

"You'd better" She said with a smile.

"You need to stop mothering him, Forehead." Ino remarked, pulling a towel from the cabinet as well.

"Kicking him in the face is hardly mothering him, Ino-pig. It was easier than letting him get blown up by Sai's newest ink bomb and having to rush him to intensive care. I didn't think he would be stupid enough to interfere" Sakura retorted.

"Can you blame him? You had some murderous vibes going between pasty face and you." Ino snorted.

"It got a little…intense is all" Sakura said, self consciously.

"Yeah…" Ino replied eyes wandering as she looked towards Shikamaru.

Shikamaru merely acknowledged the petal haired nin and took off towards the offices.

"I'll…catch up with you later, Forehead. Have to go give my report." Ino said, following after the pineapple haired genius.

Sakura gave a knowing look as she watched her buxom blonde friend follow after him. She grabbed her things and made her way to her apartment. It appeared at least her friend was recovering from the loss of Sasuke. Of course, Ino had never been his teammate. She'd given up her crush long ago, after he'd betrayed them. Sakura felt cold…numb as she thought of _him_. She could recall perfectly his face, those dark eyes. They haunted her as her mind replayed them over and over in her head. Better to remember them then to forget. That thought shook her resolve. She could never let herself forget him. She didn't want to move on.

Her body was on auto pilot, lost in thoughts of Sasuke as she crept in through her window. No ninja ever used their doors.

A long shower kept Sakura from breaking down. She appreciated the efforts of Sai. From being on her team he knew she needed a physical outlet to deal with the pain. He also knew the only way to produce it was to hit where it hurt, her emotions. She never sparred with him without provocation and he never ceased to give it though today she hadn't checked her rage, nearly killing him at several points in their spar. It was a good thing he was so kami cursed fast. Togoro had been right to interrupt them when he had. She had needed to cool down and his safety forced her out of that mindset. Sai had done her a favor, and it had helped though she was by no means "better". As if a spar could erase the years that she had waited for him, had worked so hard, to try to bring him back. Could one be "better" after loosing such a precious person? Unlike Ino, neither she nor Naruto had never given up on him.

Briefly she wondered if Naruto's naïve optimism was a blessing or a curse in this moment. She had truly believed in him, in them; in their ability to bring Sasuke home. They had spent years pushing themselves, training and taking extra missions. And the entire time all they'd done was stare at his back. How could Sasuke have died? He was so strong. If anything it should have been them, the weak ones of team seven that had fallen. She didn't even know who to repay. They had no way to avenge him. All of their work, their efforts, their hope was done, washed down the drain as the soap scum. Sakura held her face in her hands, water streaming down her back as she shuddered, fighting the sobs that threatened to undo her. Ninja did not show emotion, Ninja were tools, Ninja did not have regret….

……………………………………………………

Naruto sunk into the mattress that was his bed. He tried to sleep, he really did. He knew that Tsunade Shishou had drilled him hard and would continue to do so. He knew that Sakura's green eyes would light in concern when he saw her next if he didn't. He knew that all of his other friends would be concerned, and that he had a lot to teach his team and it would be far more difficult if he was exhausted. But Naruto couldn't calm his troubled thoughts. What did it matter, any of it really? He certainly hadn't been sleeping much lately anyways since…since…

His throat tightened, unable to choke out the sobs that wracked him. Teme…Sasuke was dead. Naruto's entire existence for these past years, the person who was his family; who had acknowledged his existence. His brother was dead. And a part of Naruto felt numb, unable to cope. He didn't want to accept it as he had refused years agao but there was no going back. He had reached the point of no return. And yet a part of him had already been gone so long ago that Naruto wondered if it really mattered. That missing piece of himself would never return, would never fill the gap he felt stretching over the years. He trembled, unable to move or stop.

Worse still, Sakura hadn't mentioned it, hadn't talked to him yet about it. She hadn't seen anyone since Tsunade had met with her in her office. He knew that Tsunade had told Sakura the same pat answer he had received from her; that Sasuke's death was classified information. That answer had hurt; irritated and grated on him, but there was nothing he could do. Tsunade had her reasons for the things she did. Like why she had sent Sakura off on a mission for the ceremony. Naruto had been devastated realizing he would be the only living representative of team 7 there. He had accepted her decision and done his duty, to teme, to their team. But _oh_ it had _hurt_ to not have her there. To wonder if her body would lie next to his in a few short days.

But Sakura had returned. She was alive and well and it seemed she'd had her own run in with trouble. However the question still remained, troubling his thoughts. Why hadn't Sakura come and found him? It was unlike her not to meet up with him after a mission. They usually had ramen and sake nights together to celebrate another successful Anbu mission. Then Naruto flinched at the thought. She probably hated him. Why else had she left? She couldn't be around him, couldn't stand him after breaking his words. Maybe she had begged Tsunade for the mission in order to get away from him. Was he loosing her too as he had lost Sasuke? He had failed, epic-ly so.

It had been difficult to keep his grief from the eyes of his team as they finished his apartment. Ninja didn't show emotion he had repeated over and over again. Though he and Sakura had been miserable at that rule from the get go. He had sent them home early, the only thing un cleaned in his apartment was his laundry, which he had stayed mostly on top of anyways. Naruto felt his heart clench as he sorted through his aches of pain. Sakura and he had grown apart since her making Anbu. It was inevitable with both of them on different missions. He had his own team to look after and train, though Sakura would keep him company every now and then when she wasn't on missions and working hospital shifts. He had tried his best to be happy for her, after all, Anbu was an honor.

He had told himself he wouldn't hold her back. He never wanted to hold her back. Never wanted her to feel like she was a bother, but he had never seen it from her side. Now he knew what it felt like. He tried not to be bitter. Tsunade had good reasons for keeping him to the village with Akatsuki becoming bolder by the second and he had made jounin which he supposed was an honorary distinction in and of itself. You had to have a certain temperament to become a Jounin; after all not very many people could work with kids. But it felt hollow and empty.

He missed Sakura. Hell, he even missed Sai and Yamato. Kakashi still stuck around when he wasn't doing missions, and much to his delight his team was calling him Kakashi Oji sensei, which irritated the copy ninja like no other. A majority of the other ninja who had survived from his class had also made might have been at the route of his problems. He was dead last as always, behind his group, though they would never consider his position beneath them.

While it was true Naruto could still hold his own against his classmates; even Neji, it still hurt that he wasn't with them. He had an important role being a jounin and he found himself very good at it, his sunny disposition and ridiculous humor amusing to his team…but he missed being a part of his own team, people his own age. He missed Sakura like crazy. It was like the moment she made Anbu she grew harder, tougher, calloused. Gone was the sweet girl he knew, and a hardened warrior stood in her place. Naruto had tried to reach beyond her wall and on rare occasion she let him in and he could see the glimmer of the girl she had once been shinning through. That girl was the girl who loved Sasuke though. Not him.

He buried himself under the pile of blankets wishing with all that he had that it had been him instead of Sasuke. Then, at least, Sakura would smile and mean it.

(AN: For those of you who think Naruto is OOC: Tell me, how else would someone so freaking optimistic respond in light of such tragedy? It's true that our ramen loving idiot is ridiculously optimistic and puts everyone's needs in front of his own. Naruto isn't the kind to stay down so you'll have to give me the benefit of the doubt in regards to the future of this fic, but seriously if anybody has earned a pity party for himself in light of all that's happened, for one night, it's our favorite kyuubi bearing ninja.)

_Please Review: (even if it's to tell me I'm wrong.)_


	15. Anguish

AN: While I'm still job hunting, and whilst I still have plot bunnies multiplying, I will continue to update as often as possible. Hopefully I've gotten a part time job (stupid economy) but we shall see. Thank you for reviewing, particularly kitten652 and Melodi moon. You guys have been ridiculously faithful in reviewing each time I update and its so appreciated! And have no fear, Itachi's coming back with a vengeance ; D There's a lot of dialogue in this chapter.

_"These tears I feel today, I'll wait to shed tomorrow. __Though I'll not sleep this night, nor find surcease from sorrow. __My eyes must keep their sight; I dare not be tear-blinded. I must be free to Talk, not choked with grief clear minded. My mouth cannot betray the Anguish that I know. Yes I'll save these tears till later, but my grief will Never go" -Anne McCaffrey-_

Crusty eyes from long shed tears opened and a throat sore from choked and strangled sobs greeted her when she woke. So this was why ninja didn't show emotion. She ran her palms along her crusted eyelids removing the most of the dried salt. Her vision was less than perfect from the amount of tears she'd cried but it would be fine after a shower. She healed her sore throat quickly and groaned as she got to her feet. She was sore from her spar, muttering curses as she made her way to the bathroom. A long shower was in order to motivate her to continue to stay awake.

Sakura felt better, cleansed as it were from the fight and the serious amount of saline, she'd used the previous night. The warm shower had helped ease the tension of sore muscles and her chakra had done the rest. Forcing herself into her daily routine also helped. She made herself eat breakfast and a cup of coffee and went on her way. She'd slept through most of the morning. She ignored the closet of Anbu items and reached into her pack. Her red vest with the Haruno clan symbol and her skirt and shorts would be fine. She slipped on her boots quickly, and shook out her slightly damp hair. It was getting longer. Sakura ignored it, putting it up into a ponytail. It was time enough to get started on her task.

Tsunade shishou was right, the archives in the medical field of her tower were in a desperate need of organizing. Piles and piles were stacked, the entire room looking like it had been done in by a wind jutsu. With a grunt, she tied her hair back with a handkerchief and her hitai ate and went to work. For hours Sakura worked, sorting, stacking, filing and dusting some of the old paperwork when needed. She had used the physical part of her for so long that her mind exulted in it's chance to fly. Her eyes scanned each and every paper, making sure she understood the content before she filed it. She whirled through paperwork working through lunch. The sun was setting as Sakura stood up stretching and easing her cramping back muscles. She'd been sitting too long in the same position as she overviewed the paperwork. A knock at the door startled her.

"Sakura san" Shizune said, coming in with food.

Sakura grinned. "I'm supposed to be in punishment, Shizune sempai."

"It's only bread and butter." Shizune said with a quirk to her lips. "Besides, you're doing me a favor by handling this. It was on my list to do" She said with a half grin. Gratitude apparently oozed from the bag as Sakura realized what it was to her delight.

Sakura bit into the Yakitori sticks, munching thoughtfully. "MMMmm..bread and butter never tasted so good" She remarked.

"I'm glad. You've made progress with this" Shizune said, eyeing her surroundings.

It was then that Sakura noticed the folders in Shizune's hands. "More paperwork for me?" Sakura asked, eyes on the manilla folders in her hand.

"Haha..No, I'm afraid not. I'm on my way to deliver these" She said, laughing nervously.

That caught Sakura's interest. What could Shizune possibly have that would make her nervous around Sakura? Sakura could only logically come to a few conclusions. Whatever it was, Sakura wanted to know.

"Thank you for bringing me food. It was nice of you. I should probably get back to it. The sooner I get this done with, hopefully the sooner I'll be back to my Anbu squad." Sakura said, making her self busy by shuffling through paperwork.

"Ah. I'll let you get back to it. Good night" Shizune agreed. The moment the door closed, Sakura bit her thumb.

…………………………………………..

Itachi paused as he stood up from his crouch, releasing a shuddering breath as he pulled the senbon from his chest and gave a mercy stroke, killing the last man choking on his own lung fluid. The enemy nin hit the ground with a thud, blood leaking from his open mouth. Itachi was growing to hate the tools since meeting the petal haired medic nin.

"Chee" He said, taking inventory of himself and the surrounding area.

He was covered in splattered blood and entrails, his long dark hair sticky with it, as he focused those deadly sharingan on his prey pinned to the ground by his sword. He had cuts and slashes, minor wounds in light of the damage occurred here, but the majority of the blood belonged to his former enemies. He had taken out an entire fleet of ninja over 50 in all, not including his main target. To have withstood an attack against jounin ranked opponents with as few injuries as he had was something to be said. Itachi walked to the dying man, eyes intent.

"Fool. You thought an ambush would be enough to stop me?" He murmured, tone like death itself.

The dying man choked on his own blood. "Damn you, Uchiha"

"You were weak" Itachi said to the dead corpse in front of him. Blood dripped from his eye, as Itachi winced, clutching his sharingan. There was always a cost to using the Mangekyou.

He sighed as he surveyed the dead count of bodies around him. Speed had made him sloppy in their dismemberment though the art of their deaths was still apparent in their arrangement. Perfectionists never were satisfied, he supposed. Time was of essence though as he summoned a raven. His chakra laden message to Okinawa was brief, literally that the man he'd been sent to kill was dead, along with the lackies the corpse had surrounded himself with. Itachi was done with his part of the bargain. He would kill Okinawa after he dealt with the more pressing matter of his deceased little brother.

He felt Leader sama's presence tingle in his bones, and Itachi leapt through the series of hand signals, genjutsu-ing the area to secure their privacy. Everything else faded out as the shadow of Leader sama stood in front of him.

"You have yet to report, Itachi. I have received an extensive bill for damages due to sound, and a request for Zetsu's particular abilities in reviving their vegetation in which you haphazardly burnt. I demand an explanation." Leader sama droned, rinnegan narrowing.

Itachi bowed. "The medic nin and myself were delayed by sound nin and forced to part ways, less we be discovered."

"You let her _go_!?" Leader sama's tone became deadly serious.

"All according to plan." Uchiha Itachi nodded, confident. "She is too disillusioned to give up so easily." He said simply.

"She will have no choice but to uncover the truth of the matter. It will torment her until she does. When that happens, She will come to me_ alone_ with it, the only one she can trust with such information. She is exploring the situation of Sasuke's death, as we speak." Itachi stated.

"And I am to simply trust you, and more importantly trust her on this matter?" Leader sama asked, tone challenging, rinnegan whirling.

"When I have something worthy of reporting, you will know of it." Itachi replied.

"The bill and Zetsu's expenses will come from your own funds as punishment. You will be entering Konoha." Leader sama's tone spoke of fact.

"It is the only way to know for certain about Sasuke" Itachi replied.

"Sasori left quite a few ingenius devices, in his lab. You might find this particular device useful. I will send it with Zetsu for you to pick up along the way. Leave at once for Konoha and do not tarry" He said.

"You are most gracious, Leader sama" Itachi replied

"Do not forget who I am, Itachi nor what Akatsuki is. I make grievances to you because Akatsuki cannot continue with our plans until we know who or what happened to your late brother."

"I will not fail you." Itachi replied and bowed as Leader sama faded.

If Itachi was capable of large displays of emotion, his face would depict a scowl so fierce it would scare small children. As it was, his lips usually a tight thin line, sagged in disapproval. It appeared he would have to arrive in Konoha sooner than anticipated. He didn't flinch as he ran, flash stepping and opening his wounds.

………………………………………………………

Sakura felt exhausted, but accomplished. She had finished the room and decided to call it quits. Tsunade probably had more rooms for her to go through anyways while she could get the free work. Anbu could wait another day and Neji could deal with drilling her recruits in the meantime. It was probably good that they were exposed to a different teacher. Sakura fumbled with her keys, when she sensed another presence. Shoving the keys in her medical pouch, she grabbed two kunai, arming herself as she kicked open the door. Green eyes darted around the room and she flipped the light switch on.

Naruto sat, half on her couch, half off of it, with sake bottles strewn about him.

"Shakura ch-yyaan" He sloshed the sake, greeting her. "Howsh it going?" He gave her a goofy grin tipping too far backwards as his back hit the couch to catch him.

Sakura scowled at the sheer amount of sake the ramen breathed idiot had consumed, and shut the door locking it behind her. She could feel the draft, knowing the moron had come in through her window on the second story of her apartment. Irritated to no end, she glared at the blonde kyuubi vessel, hands on her hips akimbo as her chakra flared in irritation.

"Naruto, what the HELL are you doing in my apartment- and just how many of those bottles have you gone through?" Sakura asked, jade eyes narrowing.

"Aww…don't be so mad.. Shakura chan, I just misshed you…soo much" He started to sniffle at this point and those bloodshot blue eyes filled with tears that trailed down tanned whiskered cheeks.

Sakura felt her throat catch, as she threw her pack aside, and checked Naruto's vitals. He had consumed an ungodly amount of alcohol, and even with the kyuubi's healing powers he could easily pass out. In fact, he should have been passed out, as she tallied the number of bottles. His hand on hers shook her from her reverie.

"Naruto..you're dangerously drunk" Sakura scolded, furious with him.

"It's no big thing" He replied with a grin. "I can feel it dissa- er diss…going away. I suppose being a demon carrier has some perks." He said flashing her a thumbs up sign.

She checked his vitals again, chakra pulsing through his body as she examined him thoroughly.

"Mmm.." Naruto leaned into her body as her chakra searched. He was right, the Kyuubi was burning up the alcohol in his body at an alarmingly fast rate. Apparently the demon had a strong sense of self preservation.

"It's the only way I can get drunk is by drinking reeeeaaallly fast" He told her.

"You Moron!" Sakura snarled. She was about to give him the beating of his life when he interrupted her.

"I'm so _sorry_, Sakura chan" Naruto gasped sobs breaking in between his words. He wrapped his arms around her, and knocked her over as her focus was on his chakra. With a yelp she hit the floor, the blonde moron squeezing the life out of her.

"Ouch- Naruto, what-" Sakura asked, pink eyebrows quirked in irritation as she sat up.

"Please don't hate me!" He cried launching himself at her again.

This time she was able to stay sitting upright, but it didn't matter, the effect was the same as she took in his words. Sakura felt like she had been kicked in the gut, the breath knocked from her, as her heart pounded painfully in her ears. Hate him? How could he _ever_ think that?

"Hate you?" She squeaked out, unable to wrap her mind around the concept.

"I'm so sorry Sakura chan, but don't leave me too! I didn't mean to break my promise, Sakura chan" He sniffled, blonde hair tickling her face as he hugged her, burying his face in the crook of her neck and collarbone.

"Naruto…"Sakura felt her throat tighten. "I would never-"

"I can't stand it when you're away. I know that's why you left, but I'm sorry! I would do anything to get him back, I _swear_ it. I wish it had been me-" Naruto felt the punch before it occurred to him that he had been punched. He hit the wall, and ricocheted

"YOU IDIOT!" Sakura sobbed, tears coursing down her cheeks as she trembled in rage. "Do you think I would EVER trade you for _him_?!"

Naruto's blue eyes were wide, his cheek throbbed, but his cheeks flushed. "S-Sakura chan.." He murmured.

"I could NEVER ever hate you. It kills me that you could even think that of me" Sakura trembled, this time from her tears. "I _need _you. You're all I have left, Naruto. Don't you ever give up on me like that!" She cried, throwing herself at him, hugging him as she cried.

Naruto's eyes widened, and softened as his arms went around her and they both cried.

"I miss him so much, Sakura Chan" Naruto confessed.

"It never occurred to me… that he might die before we got to him" Sakura sniffled. "I always thought he was indestructible" This led to an entirely new wave of tears as they held each other.

"And it was Itachi" Naruto snarled, eyes going red. "He was right at the border of sound!" Naruto's fingers were becoming claw like as his chakra began to glow like an aura around him.

"Naruto!" Sakura cried, putting her hands on his face. "Calm down" She ordered. "Look at me!" She begged.

His eyes lost their red, the moment he looked into her eyes. Deflated, the tears returned. "We couldn't even avenge him, Sakura chan." He murmured through his sobs.

"Naruto…what…what if I told you it wasn't Itachi who killed Sasuke…?" She began.

"What?" Naruto snarled, and the backlash of his chakra threw Sakura back.

"Sakura Chan!" Naruto cried, rushing to her side. "I'm so stupid-"

"No seriously Naruto…listen to me…we have no proof that it was Uchiha Itachi" Sakura began.

"Are you kidding me? Who else would have that kind of power Sakura chan?" He snapped.

"Itachi was never interested in Sasuke! He was always only interested in you!" Sakura replied.

Naruto tried to take in what she said, he really did. But part of him wanted to believe it was Itachi. If Sasuke had a nameless killer, or another enemy they didn't know it would be too much.

"Sakura Chan.." Naruto began.

"No, think about it for once, Naruto. Itachi could have killed Sasuke at any time…why now?"

"He almost did kill Sasuke, Sakura chan" Naruto growled, not having forgotten the hallway.

"But he left him alive. Itachi has never sought out Sasuke. And if Sasuke had battled with Itachi, we would have felt that kind of a battle simply from the chakra." Sakura reasoned.

Naruto had nothing to say, his mind still wrestling with her observations.

"H-have you been there?" He questioned.

"Huh?" Sakura asked.

"Have you visited Teme since you've been home?" Naruto asked again. Sakura shook her head.

"C'mon!" Naruto grabbed her hand and was hauling her out the door before she could protest.

As Sakura entered the ceremony grounds she could feel the waves of peace wash over her. The stars were visible, the crickets chirped and here more than anywhere was the quietest spot in Konoha. Naruto continued to hold her hand, dragging her as he probably thought Sakura was being reluctant. Instead she felt it. It was so tranquil and serene in the moonlight. She allowed Naruto to lead her to a familiar spot. This was the place she had always found Kakashi at. Sasuke's headstone was next to Obito's Kakashi's dead teammate. Sakura supposed it was fitting though she couldn't hold back her tears. Naruto was already crying as he looked on it.

Sakura whirled, kunai in hand as she felt a strange chakra signature.

"Kakashi sensei" She said, sheathing her kunai.

"I figured you two would be here" He said, looking at the two gravestones. "Welcome home" He said, a sad smile on his masked face.

Sakura hugged him tightly. "You're hurt." She exclaimed, healing chakra going to work.

"I was in a hurry to get back, but you beat me to it" He said, grey eye crinkling as he hugged Sakura back. He was grateful to avoid another trip to the hospital.

"You're so stubborn" Sakura scowled. Kakashi merely shrugged.

"Sensei…." Naruto said, tearing up again. "We failed". Naruto hung his head in shame, unable to look at the copy nin.

Kakashi was surprised by Naruto's antics. Sasuke's death had apparently hit the boy hard. Hell, Kakashi himself had been taken aback by the suddenness of his death. He searched for words, words that Naruto himself would have spoken if he were in the right mind frame. But it would be a sin to lie to the boy…to Sakura.

"Life goes on" Kakashi said with finality. "Though there are days when we wish it weren't so"

Naruto was flung into a new set of tears as Sakura and Kakashi consoled him and shed a few of their own. He got a grip on his emotions shortly as they all made their way, gathered around his headstone.

"The flowers they picked sure are nice, Naruto" Kakashi said with a smile.

"The headstone is perfect." Sakura murmured, holding his hand.

"The ceremony was god." Naruto commented. "He had candles, and they sent off paper boats for him in the river at the bridge. All of our friends were there."

Sakura merely nodded as she stared at the headstone. The picture of team seven stood in a portrait by it.

_Here lies Uchiha Sasuke_

_Precious family member of Team 7_

_He will be missed._

They sat for a while, just listening to the sounds of the night, enjoying the peace they felt wash over them as they meditated. Even though it hurt, the fierce pain in their hearts threatening to overflow and overcome them, for now…just for now… they were able to face the day. They were able to rest in the fact that Sasuke didn't have to fight anymore. The time wore on. It was late.

Naruto yawned, releasing Sakura's hand to cover his yawn.

"Naruto, why don't you go get some sleep. You have to train your team in the morning" Sakura suggested.

"I'm fine" the blonde nin protested, fighting another yawn.

Kakashi eyed Sakura. "She's right. It's late." He said.

"Alright, I'll walk you home Sakura chan." Naruto said.

"Naruto you might not even be able to walk yourself home" Kakashi reprimanded. "Besides Tsunade will want you to finish your reports you owe her."

"Awww crap." Naruto whined having forgotten about those.

"We will see you tomorrow, Sakura" Kakashi said with a wave, as he got Naruto up and followed him out of the graveyard.

_Please Review_


	16. Shadows

AN: I'm sorry. I'm feeding my Naru/Saku compulsion as I write this, but have no fear. Itachi will be here ; )~ Finally! The moment I've been waiting for in this entire fic. Let's hope I don't screw this chapter up, it's sort of important. Ridiculous story of the day: I have more favorites on this story than reviews! I can't believe it X D

"_Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine."__ -Ralph Waldo Emerson-_

Sakura knelt at the gravesite, and began to cry again, sobs wracking her body. Regret coursed through her as she considered the dead man she had loved. As if she hadn't shed enough tears over the Uchiha, she had to shed more. Arms wrapped around herself in the only comfort she could muster, tears welling up on the blades of grass as Sakura sobbed. She was always so weak. That's what he would say if he could still speak to her. _How could you let me die? If you loved me so much, then why didn't you save me?_ She couldn't even protect him.

She was still useless. Nothing had changed. She hadn't been able to do a damned thing. She couldn't use the strength she'd fought so god damn hard for to save him. Sakura eyed her hands through tear blurred eyes, hands shaking. These hands that were made to protect had failed to save the one who needed protecting the most. The callouses she'd fought so hard to get, had failed. What the hell good was it that she was a medic, if she'd been unable to save her most precious person? The life she gave meant nothing if she couldn't save his. What use was it in having a way of the ninja if she couldn't follow it? Her ideals were shattered. Her philosophy was broken. The way she lived her life failed. How could she go on with out him? She had lived for him for so long. He was everything she had.

And her heart burned at his betrayal, his ultimate betrayal of her and Naruto. How could he just die? How dare he die on them! They had obviously meant so little to him, if he couldn't live any longer. He hadn't clung to life for anyone but himself and it hurt so much because it wasn't enough to save him. Even his hatred, the only thing he clung to, couldn't save him, couldn't fill the life in him to make it, in the end. Her heart clenched as she heard the words of Uchiha Itachi in her mind dark and mocking as she thought of Sasuke. _Even your hate is weak._

His hate had to be weak if it was not enough to bind him to life. His goal was meaningless, rendering her own meaningless as well. Her goal, her lifetime, had been one Uchiha Sasuke. Years had been invested in him. No..in the idea of him, he would never let her get that close, would never let such an emotional bind, do just that; and bind him. He had thrown those away so long ago, choosing to serve himself, his own needs and wants and desires. Hell he had thrown himself away, doing whatever he had to, to kill his brother. And now he was gone. What a wasted life he'd had. How pathetic…her own life wasted for him. Sasuke had left them behind, but they couldn't abandon him, wouldn't abandon him. He had gone, and refused in his last act of stubbornness, to take them with him. To take her with him, as he had refused so very long ago. Tears blinded her vision as Sakura wailed the pain burning in the core of her chest.

Sakura cried for the little girl she'd left behind, the one that loved him, that should have followed him out the gates of Konoha. That should have made him stop. She cried for the hopes and dreams she'd had for Sasuke, who had given up all for his hatred. She cried for the hopes and dreams she'd had for herself all of them centering on the dark haired nukenin. She didn't know how long she cried, but it didn't matter because the tears never stopped. She released it all, tired of holding on and carrying it with her for so long.

It was too much to hold onto. It was the only thing she could do to release the pain. And it felt good, cleansing as the hours tolled on, as the pain left her in draughts of choked up tears and sobs. She curled her head in the grass, fingers brushing the soft blades as she hiccupped from crying so hard. Her hiccup caused her head to jerk back and Sakura nearly choked on her hair as she pushed it aside, angry.

She wanted to rip her hair out, wanted to do something, anything, but she knew it would not help the pain. Her lungs burned. She took deep whittled breathes to try and calm down. Calm, as if she could achieve such a state now. She looked up at the picture of Sasuke and felt her control crumble. Her eyes burned from the amount of tears she'd forced from her tear ducts. Saline crusted and was washed down by a new set of tears, a new layer of salt, as Sakura found his image blurry in her vision once again. Sakura wiped the snot dribbling from her nose for the umpteenth time, utterly wretched and pathetic as she lay on the grass curling to hold herself in her brokenness.

_Are you done yet? We have more important things to be doing._ Inner Sakura scowled.

_How dare you! Sasuke is dead! _Sakura snarled at her inner was all she could manage at this point because it led straight to the hurt.

_And he's not getting any deader. Sakura, look at yourself, hung up over a corpse. He was dead when he left the village. You knew that. All these years, we've chased him and you knew it from the start. It's done. Let him go._

"_How dare you?! He was our precious teammate!" Sakura snapped. _

_He was…a long, long, time ago before you were a kunoichi, before he decided to become an avenger and take up with Orochimaru. Before he cut all ties with your team. Now he's a dead traitor. And now you're letting him take you down with him, like you always did before. There are more important things to do, more productive things than sitting and crying. Use your strength to find out why he died, and how._

"_He would have come back." _Sakura murmured, curling as she held her knees to her chest.

_You and Naruto would have made him come back, and he would have run off again. Sasuke would not have returned on his own. His pride and stubbornness was too great._

"_We would have made him stay"_

_Because a caged, pet Uchiha would have been so much better of an alternative than this one._

"_He would have still been alive" Sakura retorted._

_My point is that he's not alive. The past is the past. You cannot punish yourself any longer for the path he took. It was his choice to make and he choose wrong. Let sleeping graves lie. We need to focus on the living. Sasuke was your standard in the past. He will not be…he cannot be, in the future. We no longer have to stare at his back, wondering if we will ever catch up. You __will__ overcome him. _

"_I don't want to overcome him! I want to stay here, right where he left me, I want him here with me and this is the only way I can do it, is if I lie here!" _Sakura sobbed.

_IDIOT! Did all our training mean nothing? Did all the hours we spent to make us strong go to waste on a corpse!_

"_I wanted to be strong for him, I wanted to be with him, I wanted HIM!" _Sakura wailed.

_Moron! You became strong because your kage, your village, Naruto needed you too. Your precious people, the ones who stayed with you when he left us, needed you. You became strong because YOU wanted to, not him. He couldn't will you to get stronger, and he never would have because he could never see you, never wanted to see you as anything more than weak. You wanted to prove him WRONG, remember? _

Sakura's tears dried at the thought. The anger she had felt at Sasuke's words bristled. They had always stung, had always chipped away at the way she wanted to see him. The illusions she'd set up around Sasuke shattered in that instant and Sakura sat up to see the difference. Sasuke hadn't even addressed her at Orochimaru's hideout, hadn't noticed her. He brushed aside her strength.

_You weren't even a threat to him, then. He attacked Naruto, not you. Others fought your battle because he wouldn't sully his hands dealing with you. You were too beneath him to fight. Too weak._

"_He didn't even acknowledge me" _Sakura sniffled.

_You didn't want to be weak then. So why are you starting now? You are a Konoha Kunoichi! Pull yourself together and remember who you are! _Inner Sakura reprimanded_. _

Sakura listened.

_You became a kunoichi when you stopped caring about what Sasuke, Naruto or anyone else thought of you._

_You became a kunoichi when you decided to get stronger for you not because you were told to, not because anyone else wanted you to._

_You became a kunoichi when you grew tired of staring at Naruto and Sasuke doing amazing thing and you wanted your own power. You wanted them to look at your back, not the other way around! When did you loose sight of that?_

_You became a kunoichi when You finally decided with all of your being, that wanted your OWN strength to protect the people you loved, not having to rely on someone else's. _

_You lost sight of our goal, Sakura. It's our back they should be looking at. Not the other way around._

_You couldn't protect Sasuke from the path he choose, because Sasuke refused to be protected. That is not your fault, and it's not something you can take away. But you still must protect. Life cannot end here for us, Sakura. We have so much more to do. _

_So I will ask you again…are you done yet? Because he was done with you, years before. Will you let him pull us down with him?_

Jade green eyes looked up at the headstone. The moonlight gleamed sending, an ethereal light on his patch of green. Fireflies buzzed around the graveyard, casting their own muted light, their presence dusting the air with glitter. Sakura considered, as she tilted her head, seeing things in this new light. For _so_ long she had wanted to become what Sasuke wanted. Even in her youth she had tortured herself trying to become what he wanted. It pushed him away further. When she stopped caring, when she'd cut that weight off, she still hadn't attracted him but she'd been free. She let the illusions, the shadows cast from that light, bind her. She had twisted it into a new approach to conquer Sasuke. She thought her strength would make him want her. She would beat him into submission, force her way and force his hand. And she was wrong. Dead wrong. She could never make him see anything. It wasn't her job. He had never asked her, nor wanted her to do so.

She had allowed the desire she thought she had overcome, blind and color everything else she did. She had ripped off the rose colored glasses, and now that she could see, she felt an overwhelming tiredness about her limbs. She was so tired, so weary of using him to be the measure in her life of success or failure. Her body felt weighed down by all of the ways she had told herself she would win him back. She was tired of letting his ghost rule her, have power over her, dictate her every decision. She might as well have been lying in that grave with him with what she had been doing.

Jade eyes narrowed. Never again. She would not let him chain her, would not let him be the driving force in her life. She refused to allow him the dominion over her in death as he had in life. Sakura was cutting the red line of fate between them. She would not let him take her down to the grave with him. He had made his choices and she was making hers, in control for once in her life. She would honor him, and do her best to discover how he had died. She would avenge him in memory of who he had been to her in the past. But that Ghost would no longer chain her, would no longer haunt her and whisper of her past failures. Sakura refused to let it. She would live, her own person, protecting the people she loved, in spite of everything else. Sasuke would not take that away from her.

"Sasuke…you will be looking down on my back" she told him, sealing her promise with a kiss to his headstone. Kunai ripped from her pack came up fiercely, slicing through the long pink hair she had grown out.

As before, her hair fell down, floating in soft pink tendrils around her. Sakura stood, brushing off the stray pieces. They fell to her feet. Sasuke's headstone was now littered with pink strands, a fitting adornment for his grave stone. As before when she had given up such foolish expectations and longings, she was doing so again. She would no longer live for Uchiha Sasuke. She was her own person. She did not need him to measure her strength. She was Haruno Sakura, Anbu captain, World renowned medical expert and she had done that without his help or assistance. She had learned from the mistakes in her past and moved forward into the person she was becoming.

Sakura stood, fingering her short locks. Her entire body trembled in fatigue and her feet tingled with the numbness of sleeping limbs.

"Goodbye Sasuke" She said.

Haruno Sakura, Medical specialist, Anbu Captain, Kunoichi of Konohagakure walked forward to greet the dawn.

…………………………………………………

Naruto chopped the vegetables, as he stirred the noodles. It was only a matter of time before the ramen loving kyuubi vessel decided to learn to make his own ramen from scratch after all. He could taste the differences between ramen, noticing delicate flavors and additions to the recipes from the ramen booth. He hadn't figured it would be that difficult. His first dozen batches had been failures of the epic kind but nothing would stop him. He was determined, using his good guy pose and all that he would not be overcome by cooking. He stirred the noodles simmering in the broth as he added the ingredients the cook book called for and followed the recipe to it's exact specifications. Hinata had let him borrow the cook book and he was determined to make Sakura chan the best damn ramen noodles she had ever tasted in her entire life.

Sakura's kitchen looked exactly like the ramen eating idiot had been in it, as Sakura returned home that evening. She was bone weary, emotionally and mentally exhausted as she had spent another day sorting medical files, though this time without prior sleep. She could smell the ramen cooking and see the disaster of a mess her apartment had become. Cans of things, vegetable cuttings were strewn about, some on the counter and floor, most on the ceiling sticking to her lights. Noodles had landed on the floor, as well as a puddle of broth that apparently had been slopped in Naruto's enthusiasm. Splashes of broth and things she probably didn't want to know, marked her refrigerator, counters, and on her cabinets. The sink was full and overflowing with dishes that had yet to be done, as Naruto piled more on the counter next to his concoction. Broth had boiled over and stuck to her boilers where the idiot was cooking his ramen delight. He wore oven mitts, apparently having singed and burned himself in the process more than once. His brow was beaded with sweat as the entire house was unsettlingly warm. He had forgotten to open the window to her house and allowed her house to heat up. Sakura scowled, throwing her pack on the couch as she looked at the blonde genki ninja.

"SAKURA CHAN!" Naruto greeted, throwing himself at Sakura. "You cut your hair!" He said, blue eyes wide as he flushed at the look of her.

Sakura's foot met his chest, keeping him from moving forward any further, as a pink eyebrow slid up in question.

"Na-ru-to-"Sakura emphasized _every_ syllable. "What *exactly* did you do to my KITCHEN?" Sakura snarled, pointing to the mess.

Ninja fog and the sound of a poof was heard as Sakura choked, accidentally inhaling the stuff in preparation for her next tirade and the beating of his life time, Dattebayo and all.

She felt him split into his kage bushin. In a whirlwind of activity, three Naruto's were fighting in the kitchen over who would clean what, whilst one focused on the cooking. Four were in the living room picking up things and pulling out her cleaning supplies. Six headed up the stairs to her bedroom and bathroom. Sakura was lifted up by a few other clones as one slipped off her ninja boots to massage her aching feet, as the others grabbed the nail polish she'd left on her table to paint her nails. Two were fighting over the brush for her hair. Sakura was speechless. Naruto had _never_ cleaned…had forced his own students to clean his own apartment for him, had _never_ cooked anything more complicated than instant ramen in his life, and here he was, domesticated and all.

"You just relax Sakura chan, we'll have everything ready in no time, Dattebayo!" The clone smiled his stupid, wonderful goofy grin.

'OYE! It's my turn to massage her feet, baka!" The other clone scowled hitting the first one with the hairbrush.

Sakura put her hands in her face hoping that the damage to her apartment would be minimal, wondering if she should pummel him now or later. Then they saw her look and stopped both taking on that look of hurt that had been etched in his face yesterday at her exasperation. Four eyes giving her the puppy dog look and Sakura's heart was wrenched again. Sakura took a deep breath and forced a smile to her face as she wiggled her toes goofily at them. She would let Naruto do this, even if he blew up her apartment to do it.

About an hour later, after Sakura was a pile of massaged goo on her couch, and her house alarmingly looked sparkling clean with the minimal damage of a wooden spoon being broken and her coffee table done in for, the legion of Naruto's clones had dispersed to a few, and now they were setting her table and beckoning her to it.

Sakura sat, feeling more relaxed than she had in a while, as Naruto served them both the bowls. Naruto took a huge slirp, practically starved as he'd used up a great portion of his chakra to cheer her up. Four pairs of Blue eyes eagerly awaited her to try it.

"Itadakimasu" She murmured, bringing it to her lips.

It didn't matter that the ramen was sub par. It didn't matter that the idiot had nearly destroyed her apartment doing so. It didn't matter that Sakura would never be able to get the smell of ramen out of her carpet, nor repair the coffee table the clones had broken in their squabble. None of that were things she couldn't fix with a little bit of effort and money. What did matter was the look of pleasure that crossed the ramen breathed idiots face, as she smiled in delight. It was the best ramen made with love from her teammate ever and Sakura would not let the small, stupid things stand in the way of that fact.

"It's good, Naruto" She said genuinely. It was the first edible thing he had ever cooked and Sakura had sampled some horrible concoctions of his estranged attempts at cooking so she could say that with integrity.

Naruto practically beamed at her as he slurped his down, blue eyes never leaving hers as she ate with less gusto. She brought the broth up to her mouth, as she drank, finishing the entire bowl. Sakura got up to go add her bowl to the stack of dishes, but his three clones beat her to it, grabbing the bowl, spoon and chopsticks of all of them, as Naruto took her hand, and brought her to the couch.

Sakura followed, eyebrows quirked in confusion at the gesture but ignored it, hoping Naruto would get to whatever strange reasons he was doing all of this in his own timing.

Naruto sat her down on the couch, and kneeled looking up at her. Sakura felt the breath catch in her throat. Sakura knew Naruto very well. His face only took on that look when he was about to say or do something completely out of character. She had an odd suspicion that she knew what this serious moment would be about, the fact that he had cooked and cleaned and massaged for her and Sakura needed to stop it.

"Sakura Chan, I have always loved you." He began

"Naruto, no, I can't-" Sakura interrupted.

"Sakura chan" He repeated firmly, taking her hand. "Teme" He choked on the word but continued "is no longer here to protect you. I always promised to protect you-"

"I _know_ that, Naruto, I know you would always take care of me, but-" Sakura protested as she rose. He rose as well, arms blocking her escape.

"Sakura chan, look at me" Naruto pleaded.

"Naruto.." Sakura breathed feeling the lump in her throat harden as she tried to swallow. If she looked into those blue eyes she would be done for.

"Sakura Chan" He said, hand sliding underneath her chin to force her to look at him. She didn't have long to get lost in those stormy depths before cool lips were pressed to her own, his arms wrapping around her, crushing her against him.

"Naruto" She broke off the kiss, frustrated, hurt. "We cant." She murmured, fingers curling around the familiar jounin vest.

"Why not?" Naruto murmured into her short hair. "Don't you love me?" Naruto asked her.

"W-what??? Naruto, what kind of question is that?" Sakura scowled, flightily as she tried to maneuver out of his arms.

"Do you love me Sakura Chan?"

"You know I love you Naruto, I just cant-Mmrmph-" Sakura was enclosed in another heated kiss as his mouth pressed insistently against hers. Sakura's eyes closed, her hands stopped thrashing when she heard the crash. Startled, both broke off the kiss. Naruto had a kunai in his hand instantly and was about to investigate, when Sakura tugged at his hand.

"Naruto." She ordered, eyes steeled as she braced herself for what she had to do.

"We should figure out what crashed upstairs." He said, mouth tight as he fixed those sea blue eyes on her again.

"It was just…the cat" Sakura lied, shrugging.

"Cat?! Since when did you get a cat?!" He scowled, impatience and disbelief showing on his face.

"I bought one earlier today, and locked it up in my closet. It was a surprise." She returned, serious.

"A cat?! Are you crazy? something just crashed-" Naruto started, but then saw the pout on her face.

"I'm going to go check on my cat. You stay here" Sakura said, determination in her eyes. There was no talking to her, or fighting her when she was in this sort of mood.

Like a sullen child, Naruto took a seat on the couch, arms crossed, and clutching his sides, as he waited for her.

Sakura made her way up the stairs breathing a sigh of relief as Naruto was waiting for her. Thanking her lucky stars for apparently Naruto had known better than to clean her closet, Sakura opened the door to her room. She shut the door behind her, and examined her surroundings. Her bed was made, the curtains trailing from a light breeze as he had opened the window in his cleaning, but other than cleanliness nothing was out of place. Sakura's eyes shifted to the bathroom, trepidation filling her. The noise hadn't come from the closet, but the bathroom. Sakura summoned her courage and stepped towards it, determined. She opened the door hesitantly and flicked on the lights. She closed the door out of habit, and took a look around. Nothing was there. Sighing as she bent over, laying her gloved hands on the counter of her bathroom, she tried to pull her jumbled thoughts and emotions together. Naruto had just kissed her! She leaned back. Startled, she bumped into something solid behind her.

"Naruto-" She began, but arms locked her own in place on the counter, as she felt warmth seep into her very pores, as he, _definitely_ he, pressed against her.

'Sakura…" Itachi breathed down her neck, close to her ear. Sakura's eyes widened as she looked up into the mirror.

"Ita-" she whispered, before his hand came up to her mouth stopping her before she started.

"You cut your hair." He murmured against the skin of her jaw, the hand that had been over her mouth, twisting itself in the messily chopped locks. She'd lost all speech, mouth gone dry, as he massaged his fingers through it.

"You-" She just about snarled, eyebrows drawn, lips pursing as they opened to yell.

His hand was on her mouth again, calloused fingers sliding against her closed lips, silencing her protests. She froze, the foreign feeling only making her that much more uncomfortable. He drew the symbols kyuubi in the mirror, with a meaningful look of those sharingan, in the direction downstairs.

"Why are you here?" She asked softly, though this was a stupid question and they both knew it.

His smirk grew wider as he toyed with her, deliberately pressing near, and forcing her thighs into the counter of the bathroom, as he drew closer.

"Send him away" he murmured, hand raised delicately to her chin, calloused fingers warm.

He burned her with his touch, causing warmth to seep into her cheeks as he turned her to face him. She flinched, his warmth around her smothering her. She fought that hold, stumbling back into the counter top. He grabbed her other hand meant to slap him and threw it over his shoulder, pressing his advantage.

"Ah. Ah. Ah" He tsked. "Should you alert him to my presence things would get…difficult" He murmured, red eyes bright as they stared into hers.

The inner layer of his eyes was a blooming red, while the outer was a darker mahogany shade. The tomoe swirled and she could see her reflection in those crimson eyes. She hopped down from the counter, turning from him with a shudder.

"You promised not to hurt him while he was in Konoha" Sakura reminded, through clenched teeth.

Her fists clenched at her sides. He pinned her from behind the counter and Sakura tensed, fighting the hold. She loosed a hand to take a swing at him again but he caught it, bringing it back towards her. He forced her hand to lay along her mid section just below her ribcage. His hand laid firmly on top of her own. It seeped his warmth into her mid section, pooling in her stomach, as her wide jade eyes took him in, and her lungs rattled.

"I will not tolerate your insubordination in this, Sakura." Itachi said calmly. She shivered from the warmth of his breathe, that warmth tingling her senses.

"Send the Kyuubi boy home, or I will" He ordered firmly, sharingan so beautifully serious as the tomoe's whirled. She stared at him through the mirror.

He was angry, she could feel the tension in the way he stood so very, very, close against her. His jaw was tight along the side of her hair, his abdominals clenched against her back. The feel of his silk robe behind her slid across her own rough clothing and his hands were hard in their hold against her. What did he have to be angry about, though? Was he irritated that Naruto was so close, and yet he was bound by his word to not harm him or bring him back to Akatsuki? Sakura briefly wondered if he would keep his promise but she shook that thought off. Naruto was still here and breathing. Had Itachi not wished it so, he would have attacked earlier. Surprisingly, Sakura realized that she trusted him to keep his word. Itachi smirked, able to read the thoughts playing across her lovely green eyes in the mirror as he replied in turn.

"I promised not to harm him, I did not promise to keep him safe. You will remember that those are two very different prospects" He prompted her, breath warm against her neck sending another wave of shivers as his hand tightened on her own.

"Send him home" Itachi ordered firmly.

His lips delved closer to her skin and Sakura shivered before finally nodding, not trusting her voice to the job. He released her, warmth leaving her cold as always when she was away from his touch. Sakura could not see him behind her in the mirror. She turned, and he was indeed, gone for all extensive purposes. Irritated, Sakura made her way down to the door of her room, and down the stairs.

"Sakura Chan" Naruto began, rising to his feet.

"You have to go. My cat just knocked over stuff and made a mess of the bathroom." Sakura said.

"That's hardly reason for me to leave" Naruto retorted, angry because he was hurt.

"Naruto…" Sakura faltered, trying to hold her firm tone. Naruto had her in his arms, in her instant of hesitation.

"Sakura.." He murmured, lips on her neck. Just her name on his lips, without the chan that seemed to follow with every one of his sentences, caused her to freeze. The sound of an angry hiss greeted them both, and shook Sakura out of her daze.

"No..I just…it's..I can't do this with you. Not…. Now…. It's…I'm not… it's too soon" She said, pulling his hand towards her door.

"That's it then?" He muttered, hurt. "I don't get a say in this at all?" He asked.

"Naruto.." She begged. "Please" she fought the sob in her throat. "Go home. We'll talk about this in the morning" She begged. "I can't-" She struggled for words, jade eyes pleading.

Naruto took a deep breath at her shaking figure. "Alright, Sakura Chan. I didn't…I'd never hurt you." He murmured, his own eyes misting.

"I know you would never hurt me, Naruto" She murmured, unable to say anymore.

"Goodnight, Sakura Chan" Naruto said, and Sakura closed the door, locking it behind him. She stood leaning shakily against the door. She ran her fingers through the short strands of hair, taking a deep breath. She looked up the stairs and steeled herself.

Sakura went up the stairs to find him sprawled on her bed, hands behind his head.

Glaring balefully at him she closed her door and slammed the window shut, closing the curtains.

"What the hell was that about?" She demanded.

"I didn't know you enjoyed kissing monsters" Itachi remarked, eyes narrowed.

Sakura stiffened, she glared at the Uchiha prodigy. "His name is _Naruto_. He's not just a jinchuriki, he has a _name_. He's the only family I have left." Sakura snarled.

"Incestuous family relations then, I suppose?" Itachi remarked.

Sakura flushed, cheeks red. "I didn't know he would do that" She retorted.

"You're lying" Itachi observed, rising from the bed.

Sakura's eyes narrowed and she backed away towards the door as Itachi stalked towards her. Damn it, she wasn't some weak willed girl. Why was she running away from him?

_Common sense. _Inner Sakura snorted.

Sakura's heels touched the door and she took a sharp breath.

_When predators target their prey, the prey runs. _Inner Sakura prompted_. Don't forget that he's dangerous! _

Sakura nearly sneered_. _Uchiha Itachi, though Anbu member by 13, murderer of the entire Uchiha clan, and an S class ninja; was still a man. She could handle him.

_I didn't know you wanted to do that sort of handling _Inner Sakura smirked_. _

Sakura didn't like being in close proximity with the man, but she would not give him the pleasure of watching her cower from it either. Itachi smirked, placing his hands on either side of the door, lurking closer. Sakura blinked, pressing herself against the door, as his face hovered inches from hers.

"Why are you so close?" Sakura whispered, fingertips pressing against the door as if she could melt into it and through it. Damn it! His warmth was a buzzing sensation, teasing her skin into goosebumps, when he loomed too close.

"Are you so adverse to my presence? I thought you spent the majority of your life chasing after Uchiha." He murmured, drawing even nearer.

"You're the wrong one. You killed your clan" Sakura retorted.

"And? Being a missing nin never stopped your affections" He said, eyeing her amusedly.

"You're a monster" She retorted, angry.

"You didn't seem to have a problem with a monster's proximity before" Itachi replied, tucking a stray pink strand behind her ear. Sakura swallowed convulsively as she fought the shiver.

"Naruto _isn't_ a monster." She strangled out, finding strength in her anger. "He has a monster inside of him. What's your excuse?" She retorted, feeling the power in her words. She would _not_ let him intimidate her. Jade eyes challenged him haughtily.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" He murmured into her ear, nipping it.

Sakura's breath hitched, shocked by his new approach. He had touched her, as he had touched her in the alleyway in sound. Liquid heat coursed through her blood as he drew even closer, hot breathe against her ear. The small space between them disappeared rapidly as he took another step closer. He laid his elbows on the doorframe on either side of her, his body boxing her in. He was upping the stakes, seeing if she would rise to place her bet, or fold. She could tell by looking into those proud, amused, ruby eyes.

"M-maybe." she replied, closing her eyes and swallowing again as she gathered her courage. She would fight back. He would not intimidate her. He would _not _intimidate her. If she kept saying it maybe it would be true enough to stop the trembling she felt.

"Maybe?" he murmured, lips tantalizingly close to her own, as she faced him.

Sakura was flustered, and drawn, hypnotized by those rose red eyes and the heat he exuded. He was trying to frighten her, and seeing as how threatening to hurt her physically hadn't worked for him, he was resorting to other methods. Now he was probably going by trial and error using whatever annoyed her, or made her uncomfortable to try and break her. He was thinking his own proximity would do the trick. Bastard! _Shannaro!_ Inner Sakura echoed in contempt.

Sakura wasn't afraid of him. He had upped the stakes by touching her, challenging her to rise to the occasion. He was trying to coerce her by his subtly veiled threats. Did he think she would back down like a simpering child? Did he think she couldn't handle him? He was playing chicken with her, challenging her to rise to his level.

Sakura had always, since the time of her childhood, had a very competitive nature and a quick temper. It was one of the reasons she and Ino, after discovering their profound crushes for Sasuke, had battled for years over him. Challenges pushed Sakura into action, forced her to do something about them. Challenges made Sakura rise to the occasion and more often than not, because of her quick thinking and intelligence she was able to out maneuver and out plan her opponents. Sakura was one of those people who thrived under pressure.

She would not allow Itachi to do this to her. Sakura would show him what she could do, and _he _would be the one to back down. She would _make _him stand down, _damn it,_ by playing his own game better than he did! The moment the thought left her mind she took initiative, consequences be damned. She would do the thing that would most startle him and throw him off kilter, and gain her the most ground in this situation. Sakura also was impulsive.

Hands latched onto his coat, bringing him crashing into her body with her impromptu indecision, as her lips converged on his own. She forced her lips to his as he had paused to take a breath. Sakura had upped the stakes. But at what cost?


	17. Games

AN: Glory and Honor and Praise go to DeadlyDiva with love. The only reason you have this chapter, even portions of this fic, is through her muse like interference. If I had posted what I originally wrote it would have been a catastrophe of a chapter and changed the entire direction of the story. Go send her showers of love for saving this story!

"_Games are a compromise between intimacy and keeping intimacy away"-Eric Berne-_

His choices were limited in this split second. Play the game she was playing and play it better than her, or pick a new game.

The problem? She might not be so willing to play a game of his choosing. And of course the fact that part of him was rather _enjoying_ this game was another issue. His subconscious had a good point. She had started this. This was the way she wanted to fight him. In a world where most tried to claim black or white, she was gray. She just didn't know it yet. He would show her.

To continue meant several things about Itachi. One; that he was alright with her proximity; with her touching him, in such a manner. Two; that he was alright with being in her intimate proximity, as they could not continue down the path they were walking unless he specifically allowed it, and responded in turn. Three, that he was willing to play a game of her choosing, playing with the unspoken rules she had set; boundaries and perimeters. All three of these were pathways, but to what he couldn't possibly comprehend in the moment.

It might hinder him in the long run as her death was imminent. But sacrifice was a _part_ of gain and he understood that better than anyone else. He would gain more now, than he could see in the future by making this choice. Itachi decided to live in the present. Here and now, she was kissing him fervently, pressing suggestively against him. She was warm and soft and hard in all the places she needed to be and really it had been far too long since he had sought more pleasurable company. Uchiha Itachi picked up the dice on the board and set his pieces in motion, already anticipating and calculating his opponent's moves.

She dragged him, silk cloth and all the closer to her, pressing that hot little mouth on his. She tasted as she had before but with an edge, a burn this time. Itachi was not one to be forced, but he _liked_ her rough grip, her new flavor. So he allowed her to think that she was in control for the moment while he took advantage of her ignorance. He was the master of illusions after all. It showed that she was taking this; him, seriously. She was guileless; resorting to this in an attempt to best him in a game he'd mastered so long ago. Darkly, it amused him. So he allowed her to continue her first move, simply to see what she would do next. Business and pleasure were never so tangible before, had never tasted so sweet.

She'd made a good move. A bold move, from a worthy opponent. Those skilled hands fisted into his hair pulling his lips closer, kissing him, tongue and all. If this was all she would do then he had much to teach her about manipulation, seduction and about what one _could_ do. His tongue met her own, using his clever appendage to hit pressure points along the surface of her mouth. Sakura gasped into the kiss, startled by feelings coursing through her, blood boiling from his touch, his kiss that was amply having it's way with her.

Sakura realized, startled, that she'd lost the advantage. In what world did she ever think she could control him? Sakura wasn't experienced when it came to sex and the pleasantries involved before said act. Uchiha Itachi had the upperhand and Sakura had thrown away her hopes for victory. The kiss she'd thought she'd experienced in the alleyway was nothing in comparison to _this_. The sheer heat, electricity coursing through every nerve and vein set her entire body ablaze. Sakura was helpless, wanton against his physical onslaught. She was burning, smothering in his blaze, eyes glazed, as he moved them towards the door.

If Sakura had been honest, she might have admitted that kissing Uchiha Itachi had been a very, very, _bad_ idea….or perhaps a very, very, _good _one, depending on the meaning of those extremely contextual terms. But as Sakura wasn't thinking quite clearly at this point, she chose to side step honesty. She'd come back to it later. Right now this man was doing things to her that Sakura couldn't put down in words.

_What a lovely way to drown…in pools of blood red Sharingan…_

Simply being in Itachi's presence forced every hair to stand on edge, every nerve to come alive. Kissing Itachi was like a jolt of caffeine, a purse shot of adrenaline straight to the heart. She was buzzed, giddily greedy as she took what he refused to deny, with pleasure. Her entire body pulsed in tune, pleasant tingles making their way up and down following his touch. Her heart pounded, tried to keep up with the rhythm. She was critically aware of every where he touched, every area those calloused hands sought, dipping beneath her vest to touch her flesh. His eyes glowed in pure masculine pride at the sounds she couldn't possibly hope to keep from him. He coaxed them from her throat as he kissed his way up it.

His fingers threaded through her fine tresses, massaging her scalp to which she hummed in delight, through the kiss she had pleaded for. She was so responsive, something she had failed to achieve in the alley as she was too tense to relax. He wondered if it was merely his presence with her, or if she was this reactive with others, but recoiled from the thought. _He_ was here with her now and that was all that mattered. He wondered if she was aware of the delicious sounds she made, or the way her throaty breathing was actually quite becoming.

Some of the brightest things contained the most deadly toxins, Zetsu had told him. He hadn't needed to. Itachi was already more than aware of the fact as he kissed those soft lips senseless. She responded, though her body was partially tense, unsure and un experienced. That thought caused him to shiver against her. She was untouched by any other and it paved the way to darker desires and half formed plans. Itachi had rolled the dice and moved his piece on the board forward as she ground against him in desperation.

Sakura was desperate. Of what she had no idea, but if this man stopped kissing her, stopped touching her, she thought she would surely die. Her entire body was pounding. He lifted her, pressing himself fully against her as she gasped into his kiss. He ground against her and those thin lips murmured in her ear.

"Did you want to finish this, Sakura?" He asked darkly, challenging her with his gaze as he fingered her medic skirt.

Sakura shook her head, clearing it as she gazed wearily at him from those glazed verdant eyes realizing what he was asking her. If only she knew the unspoken promises their depths spoke of…

Such insolence though amusing, simply could not be tolerated. There were consequences to her actions. It appeared that he would have to remind her once again of _who_ exactly he was and why she did not want to play such dangerous games with a master such as he. Itachi moved with skill, practically slamming her against the door, as he punished her for her arrogance the only way he knew how. By drawing even closer.

Her eyes watered as Itachi pressed even closer, hands searching beneath her vest as they found their purchase. She arched against the touch, and looked down at him. Bangs mussed, red eyes flared. She could not see his ponytail from her perch on him and the door. The face before her though blurry was clearer than day. She gasped as _he_ had decided to appear before her watering eyes and she whispered the one name that ruined everything, the person who ruined everything.

"Sasuke"

If Itachi hadn't known better, he would have thought his hearing was off. But that was physically impossible, because he, of anyone else, had excellent hearing. Even if his hearing would ever go he would still be able to read lips. The name of one foolish little brother rolled off her lips whilst _he_ was having his way with her. His jaw clenched, fists turning white, as blood red Sharingan narrowed. The blow was far more crippling than she could ever realize, would ever see. Rough hands gripped her throat as he literally slammed clarity into her.

"I didn't mean-" She gasped trying to say something anything. Mangekyou Sharingan met her eyes as she heard him.

"Tsukiyomi" He practically snarled.

Sakura didn't have time to protest as her mind went black and white like some distorted photograph. In front of her in blurring vision getting clearer with every blink was Sasuke…making love to the red headed girl on his hebi team. She cried his name in sheer ecstasy and Sakura gave a strangled cry. It didn't matter. Their sounds invaded her senses and no matter how she tried she couldn't shut it out. Her screaming couldn't stop it and she seemed to have no affect on them whatsoever. In this distorted world she had no chakra, no weapons. She was separated by some sort of barrier, unable to do anything. They couldn't hear her, and even though she closed her eyes clutching her head against it, she could still hear, could still see. That shouldn't be possible. Where the hell was she?

"I love you" He whispered to her, though he might as well have shouted it because it resounded with the sound of a thousand screams inside Sakura's head.

The blood drained from her face, from her body as she looked up at him, smile marred by blood, her blood on his sword that had gone through her heart.

"Sasuke" She choked, feeling the blood on her lips and the burn from his blade

"Useless and annoying. You _always_ were weak" He smirked, walking away.

_Always weak_

No matter what she did she could never escape those words from his lips.

_Always weak_

She would never be good enough, could never earn his approval.

_Always weak_

He would never love her, could never see her for anything beyond the girl he'd abandoned.

_Always…_

Sakura's blood curdling scream split the air, her cry of rage thundering through out the land of nowhere. It went on and on until it died and her throat went hoarse. She choked on the blood.

She blinked, and arose only to experience it again, Sasuke crying Karin's name as they…

"No. No. No. I gave this up. I let this go. I let this go…" Sakura dropped to her knees curled into a little ball, clutching her head as she gasped for breathe.

Sakura's lungs tightened. She was suffocating, hyperventilating. She needed air. Her heart was thundering in her chest and blue spots sparkled around her vision. But Sakura couldn't get enough air down as she opened her mouth, choking on sobs and half formed attempts to take in air. She would die. Closing her eyes she reached into the core of herself, the last and only strength she had left. The call inside her echoed and reverberated out, pulsing the area as Sakura screamed.

Inner Sakura snarled, and leapt from Sakura's mind, smashing her ethereal fists into the scene as if it was a two dimensional mirror in front of her. The shards went flying, pieces of Sasuke and the girl flying from her, as the stars cleared from Sakura's eyes. Dazed Jade that was dilating met the three bladed Sharingan of his Mangekyou.

His eyes widened and he took a step back, releasing her as though she burned him, as Sakura slid down the wall trembling.

"Was that what you wanted?" Itachi snapped regaining his countenance.

"I didn't mean it like that. I just saw the resemblance" She trembled clutching gloved fingers around her arms. "He's your brother" She gasped, tears streaking down her cheeks in unending waves as if the statement explained it.

"Do you always cry out another's name while fulfilling your lust? Would my name have come to your lips had Naruto continued?" Itachi asked harshly.

"It wasn't-" Sakura sobbed, unable to rise as her body was still convulsing from the Tsukiyomi. Her teeth chattered, blocking her speech as she pumped chakra into her system to recover before she went into shock.

"You started something you couldn't even hope to finish, Sakura. You will never attempt to seduce me again." Itachi ordered.

"I wasn't-" She tried to protest, but he cut her off.

"You will rest, recover your chakra and your health. You will sleep it off and then shower and pack. Then we will talk."

"Damn it Itachi! Stop this!" Sakura cried.

"_You_ started this" Itachi retorted.

"Then let's finish it then." Sakura replied, using the wall to shakily rise to her feet.

"Would you like to talk about your tactics, or how about, perhaps your lack of them?" Itachi pressed.

"How could you do that to me? Why?" She cried aghast as she trembled. "Why her?" She wiped at the tears in her eyes with trembling fingers.

"Because you still cling to him from beyond the grave. It's pathetic" Itachi's tone grew dark, harsh as it bore down on her.

"You don't fucking know me." Sakura practically growled.

"I knew him well enough. It was well known within the bingo books that she was his consort"

"His lover, you mean?" Sakura strangled out. Gods it hurt to even say that.

"My brother never loved anyone but himself, Sakura. You know this better than I do." Itachi replied evenly.

"That's not true. He loved us" Sakura said, hands wrapping around herself to protect her from the cold chill the room had taken.

"For a time, perhaps, before he threw you away." Itachi admitted.

"No, he didn't. He couldn't." She murmured, drawing strength. She drew a deep breathe and hot jade met his eyes

"He had ample time and opportunity to kill either of us, but he never did. He isn't like you!" Sakura threw the words at him, hoping they would find purchase. Would draw blood from this cold unfeeling, unmoving monster.

Itachi paused on her words. Then softly replied "We are more similar than you would ever like to see"

"No you aren't! Look… what happened earlier wasn't sexual, Itachi. For a second, in my eyes, you looked like him because the tears were blinding me. I would NEVER mistake the two of you. Ever. You are night and day."

"He became me in the end, Sakura." Itachi told her. "He sought power outside of the village, threw away all ties he had left and willingly became a monster"

"No. He didn't kill his clan." Sakura protested.

"No, he tried to kill his own self proclaimed family, his precious teammates, didn't he?" Itachi mocked.

"He didn't succeed." Sakura scowled.

"So you were stronger than this previous family. Nothing more. Is success the measure we're using now for Monsters? Then perhaps he was not as skilled as I, or as the Kyuubi." Sakura bristled at this

"But he still attempted it, time and time again. Sasuke was no better than I am. Stop trying to make him a martyr. He was no saint. He bloodied his hands willingly. He appealed to Orochimaru and killed willingly any who opposed him in cold blood. He was just as much a monster as I am."

"So you admit it?" Sakura replied.

"I am no saint, Sakura, and the things _we_ do are acts of treason against our very allegiances. Pretty words, nor memories will justify what will happen tonight"

"I know that! Don't act like I don't. You don't understand…How could you? He was my family" She replied simply. "I know that means nothing to you, but they're all I had. Which meant…which means I didn't care what he did. I didn't care what people said about him. He was ours" She cried.

_You have no idea what it means to me_ He thought darkly. But to say such thoughts would go too far. Itachi pressed his advantage.

"You never wanted him though did you? You had your ideal of who he was… and who he became in reality are two completely different people. The Sasuke you knew, that child you were teammates with died with his family. He was merely a ghost in your presence"

"Don't you dare be condescending to me" Sakura snarled, jaw clenched. "I knew what he had done. I was never ignorant of _that_. I knew what person he had become. I treated the children he tortured." Sakura whispered, the tears streaming from her eyes.

"If you know, then you have no excuse for what you're doing now. He chose his path. You are letting him choose yours." Itachi told her.

"I didn't let him go the first time in the first place! He walked away from _us._ Don't act like you know me! My entire life revolved around Uchiha Sasuke once. So what? I am my own person, and I am _choosing _to walk forward. I owe it to him as a teammate to discover his murderer. I'm not going to become him or walk the same path as he did."

"He's dead, Sakura and you're doing him no favors by siding with me" Itachi replied evenly. "Why? Enough with the frosted lies and pretty words, twisted by absolution. Tell me the truth" Itachi demanded tired of her facade.

Sakura wilted, crumbled against the wall and Itachi was given an image of how Sakura had taken it when Sasuke had left her. So small and wretched she curled tighter, arms trembling as she tried to make herself smaller. Anything to get away from those eyes. Those eyes that were his and were completely _not_ his, all at once.

All knowing Sharingan always knew the truth of the matter.

"Because I won't sleep well until I know. I _need_ to know what happened to him so that I know it wasn't my fault." She murmured softly. "Because I need to find a way to make Naruto stop blaming himself for Sasuke leaving, for his death. I won't lie to Naruto. Until I know the truth, I'm useless to myself and to him"

Itachi regarded her with a favorable expression. She wasn't lying. Her words lay at the root of her convictions. He wanted her to be honest, if anything with herself and why she was doing this. He paused considering his words and chosing them. She needed to hear them.

"It wasn't your fault." Itachi said, surprisingly.

"How do you know that?" Sakura snapping, lashing out, recoiling from the pain. She wanted to believe it was her fault. It would be so much easier if she did. Then she could go on tearing herself apart.

"Because he would never let you get that close to him." He replied. "He was entirely self centered, every move calculated only because he decided it. It was about his own anger, his own pain. Never about a bigger objective, something or even some one. No it was only him. It was never more than that." Itachi said.

His words cut at the ties she had to Sasuke. What he said was true. She knew it though she could never face the words until now. Could never even hear those words in her presence, till the grave. Her hands grabbed a lock of her short hair and she pulled to remind her of who she was, who she was becoming. She could never admit them to herself. But she could accept it from him, someone who had no reason to lie, who knew him probably better than she ever had. Who had nearly killed him. The truth disinfected the ache. She was by no means whole or recovered. But he'd patched her up.

"You need to rest" He told her, picking her up into his arms, and placing her in her bed.

Her fingers clenched the silk clothe on his Akatsuki cloak. "Never mistake you two" Sakura murmured fervently, green eyes shinning in their intensity. "completely different.." she murmured, lifting her trembling fingers to his cheek and they tremblingly walked over his lips.

Itachi smirked and caught her fingers in his own, kissing them. "Sleep"

Dazed green eyes fluttered closed and she was fast asleep. She was amusing. He'd certainly underestimated her abilities. She had broken the Tsukiyomi, something even the copy ninja hadn't succeeded at. Something even Sasuke had failed at. There was something in her, something he'd seen that kept her protected at her very core. Granted she had only barely been able to break his hold. He hadn't put much chakra into it in the heat of a moment. However the fact that she had broken through still spoke to the caliber of ninja she was.

It should have been physically impossible. After all the girl came from a no name clan with no bloodline limit. It probably should have irritated him that his clansake had been overcome by a nameless mutt of a clan. Itachi was no fool. Every jutsu, every bloodline had a limit, a weakness. Statistically speaking it had only been a matter of time before he ran into such a possibility and Itachi was well prepared. He wasn't so much irritated having discovered it, as intrigued. His ingenuity was already deciphering the possibilities of such an interesting ability. He was fortunate that they were allied for the time being. He would discover the specifics in due time and turn such a useful ability to his advantage. His hand brushed a stray pink strand from her cheek.

"Itachi…" She murmured in her sleep. Red eyes gleamed in predatory satisfaction as he rose to prepare while she slept soundly, dreaming of red mangekyou eyes framed by long black hair.


	18. Loyalty

An: Aya…here we go. Back to the plot at hand. Thanks for the reviews and Happy New year.

"_It all comes down to serving the ones who are fighting alongside you, watching your back, putting a weapon in your hand when you need it the most." -James Luceno-_

Sakura stretched, feeling more rested than she had in days in the few short hours she had been asleep. Itachi was right. She had needed the rest badly, particularly if they were going to go through with their plans thus far. She swallowed, closing her eyes against the familiar ache she felt in her heart. She would be leaving home. She ignored it, and rose, heading for the shower.

Uchiha Itachi walked out from the steamed bathroom, in black fishnet shirt and drawstring pants, towel running through his raven tresses.

"Do you feel rested?" He asked, eyeing her intently. Sakura flushed, averted her gaze and nodded.

"Good. Shower and then we will convene in your living room" He ordered, moving aside so she could get into the bathroom.

After her shower, Sakura began to pack.

………………………………………………

"Tell me, what have you discovered in your time here?" Itachi asked, as Sakura took the tea kettle off the burner.

Sakura poured the hot water into the tea mugs and pulled up a chair by the couch. She handed him a mug. "Jasmine" She said. "Sugar?"

He shook his head and took the mug and set it on what appeared to be a broken coffee table to cool.

"Sakura?" he asked again wondering if she'd been too distracted to hear him the first time. She was nervous and anxious as she fluttered around.

She sighed. "I don't know." She replied setting her hands down on the counter.

"Don't know what exactly? Be specific" He ordered.

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "The information on the cause of Sasuke's death is apparently Kage classified information according to Tsunade Shishou. I was denied access to such information." She closed the door to the cabinet and came into the living room.

"The Kyuubi?" He asked.

"His name is Naruto." Sakura bristled, irritated that Itachi couldn't even dignify him with his name.

"Naruto, then?" Itachi pressed.

"He was denied as well." Sakura replied, staring at the golden color forming in her mug. It was easier than meeting his eyes.

"Do you have any theories as to why she would refuse to reveal such information to you two? Naruto is to be the next Hokage if I understand correctly" Itachi asked.

He had a good feeling that he knew why, but maybe something she said would clarify the situation.

Sakura's eyes widened at how well informed Itachi was on Konoha information. Warnings blared in her head at exactly what she was doing. Oh gods…but she couldn't turn back now. She could only continue to put one foot in front of the other, following through with her choices.

"She probably didn't want me or Naruto running off to figure out who killed him. Or maybe she doesn't want it to be something the people focus on. She's worried about Naruto being outside of Konoha for obvious reasons." She said giving him a knowing look.

"And what do you think about the possibility that it might not be his body in light of how the kage acted?" Itachi mused.

Sakura frowned. "I don't know enough to make that guess. Tsunade was hush hush about the subject, something odd for her, but if it was kage classified information then wouldn't that point to the fact that it was his body?"

"Unless that was what she wanted you to think otherwise" Itachi mused.

"What?" Sakura asked.

"Assuming will always get you killed, Sakura." Itachi replied.

"Tsunade Shishou wouldn't lie to me. That's probably why she didn't tell me the information. She knew she couldnt" Sakura retorted, irritated.

"So you're saying she's incapable of lying to you? Would you know if she lied?" Itachi pressed.

"I think it's irrelevant to the point at hand" Sakura retorted, swirling the honey in her tea and mixing it.

It was Itachi's turn to sigh.

"Something else happened, however." Sakura said regaining his undivided attention.

"Shizune, Tsunade Shishou's assistant came to see me with Yakitori, and a folder. She was awfully hesitant to let me see that folder." Sakura mentioned.

"Did you follow her?" Itachi asked.

"No, I had filing to do, it would have been too suspicious" Sakura replied, as if it had been beneath him to ask her.

"You _didn't_ follow her?" Itachi exclaimed, eyes dangerous as tomoe whirled.

"Don't underestimate me. I said I didn't follow her. It was too suspicious. However, I did find out where the file was held." She grinned.

Itachi took a deep breath and waited for her to continue.

"I sent a slug summons after her. Chiya was able to follow her by sticking to the roof."

"Slugs have poor eyesight. How can you know for sure that your summons actually saw what took place?" Itachi countered.

"That's true, slugs do have poor eyesight, but slugs have an _excellent_ sense of smell. Shizune still had yakitori grease on her fingers and Chiya was able to smell that on the chakra combination on the door. I have the combination." Sakura replied with a smile.

Itachi nodded, pleased that she wasn't entirely incompetent. "And your kage doesn't use the same summons and didn't sense your chakra?"

"Chiya is mine. Tsunade shishou summons Katsuyu or a few of her other familiars in the slug family. Besides they're used to doing odd projects" Sakura replied remembering the spying she'd had her familiars do in the past.

"She didn't sense your chakra from the room?" He asked again.

"Even if she did, several of the other members in the Hokage tower use animal summons for things they do." Sakura replied

"Hn." Itachi replied, noncommittally as he thought.

"Well?" Sakura asked.

"First, we need to access that file." Itachi said. "Whatever is in it, or even in that room might be beneficial in discovering Sasuke's death."

Sakura nodded in agreement. "To the Hokage tower, then?"

"Ah." Itachi replied.

Sakura wandered, Itachi keeping stride with her. She wouldn't ask how he walked the streets of Konoha in the open. He probably had a pretty strong genjutsu on him and with his necklace on she couldn't sense who he was. She supposed she should count her blessings when it came to the Uchiha prodigy; it was nice of Itachi to include her in on his genjutsu.

If anyone had bet her a year ago that she would be walking with one Uchiha Itachi and breaking into the hokage tower she probably would have wagered some fairly ridiculous sum of money on it and had a good laugh about it. She would have been convinced that she would have won a small fortune. And yet here Sakura stood, glad that she hadn't made the bet, watching the tower, apprehensive of what they were about to do. But if it would help them discover Sasuke's death…She owed it to her former teammate. She fingered her short locks, biting her lip.

A hand on the small of her back nearly caused Sakura to jump, and though she was able to stop the reflex, she couldn't help but tense.

"Relax" he murmured breath right behind her ear. "You need to calm yourself or you'll give us away" He said, heat emanating as he pressed against her back. She felt the tension fade as she nearly melted against him.

"Now, follow me." He said, keeping his hand on the small of her back as he gently pushed her forward.

He leapt into the trees. Apparently they were going to sneak in. It was true that no ninja ever used doors when there were windows. Itachi was no exception. It took him very little effort to break in, in spite of the chakra wards everywhere. Sakura knew that if she asked him about that startling fact he would just ignore her. She would never learn how he knew exactly how to unlock the chakra guards. She added it to a long list of things that needed to change in Konoha once she returned.

That thought startled her. Returned? There it was again. That implied leaving didn't it? Sakura couldn't come face to face with that thought yet. She would be leaving to discover who had murdered Sasuke. She would be leaving Konoha until that task was finished. She hadn't quite considered the ramifications of her actions till now. She would probably be labeled a nukenin for this. The word held more weight than she originally thought it would.

And she knew with surety that Tsunade could not overlook this, particularly with the way she'd treated the previous incident. Tsunade wouldn't, no couldn't forgive her for what was about to be done. This was what Itachi was asking her before she slept. This was what he was trying to make her see. The cost for such devotion even in light of family was high. Was it worth that? Sakura had agreed to help him this far…she'd never agreed to anything outside of this.

Itachi paused. "Which door?"

"Sixth floor, fifth door on the left" She murmured distantly, following after him.

They were on the floor before Sakura had registered it, standing in front of the doorway.

"It might be best if you typed the combination" Itachi motioned. She did have gloves. She focused on the task at hand ignoring all the other questions floating around in her mind. Tsunade was long asleep and gone, the tower locked up except for the switching on the anbu guard. If she was found, it would be nothing out of the ordinary as she frequently came at all hours of the morning to find medical records. She hoped fervently that she didn't run into anyone. She couldn't predict what Itachi would do if they had visitors.

The door opened, Itachi placing his hand on the door's seal with newly gloved hands as the chakra dissipated. He was a prodigy for a reason. Sakura had forgotten about the chakra that would be released from opening the door. She was so careless. Sakura bit her lip, hard enough to wake her up. She needed to treat this seriously. She made her way inside the door. Itachi cracking the door behind them, carefully. There was no telling if the door would lock them in or not and so he was being cautious.

Sakura skimmed the huge file cabinets trying to remember any print on the folder that would distinguish it. She looked under the most obvious headings, his name. Itachi joined her scouring through the folders with the same quick precision she did. He grabbed and stowed several relevant folders for purposes later as the girl was lost in the files before her. None of them were the folders that bore the chicken grease she had mentioned.

"Shit" She murmured. "It's not here" She said, verdant eyes wide.

"Where else would it be?" Itachi asked.

"The hokage might have locked it behind classified doors." She said. "The only one with access to that would be the Hokage, herself." Sakura frowned.

Itachi regarded her thoughtfully for a moment, and then his eyes flashed. "Or the Hokage in training…" He said.

"Oh gods…you want me to steal the keys from Nar- no…I can't"

"You must. _You_ made the choice, Sakura. Will you go back on your words?" Itachi whispered.

Green eyes lit with determination. "Let's go" She said jaw clenched.

………………………………………………….

Naruto snored, turning in his sleep. Sakura scowled as she reached delicately for the keys he had on his bed stand. Sakura was so close to them, her hands touched them when she heard his hiss of fury. It had been meant as a warning, but it was too late. Suddenly she was pinned beneath his warm body, staring into stormy blue eyes, a kunai at her throat as she didn't dare breathe, didn't dare blink. He was shirtless. She supposed she was fortunate, usually he slept naked.

"Foolish. I'm a ninja. As if you could sneak in unannounced" He said, eyes narrowing and then gasped, throwing the kunai behind him as he stumbled back startled from hovering over her on his bed as he recognized who exactly it was. He gained some semblance of composure turning on the light.

"Sa-Sakura Chan. What are you doing _here_?" Naruto asked, running his hands through his unkempt blonde hair.

"And why the _hell_ did you bring your cat?" He asked, looking down at the black creature.

"I.." Sakura paused. She supposed Itachi was using a genjustu. Naruto reached down to pet said cat and he hissed, swatting at the Kyuubi vessel. Naruto drew his hand back frowning. Sakura took a deep breathe. She wouldn't lie to Naruto, but she couldn't tell the truth.

"I need your keys" She said. The cat growled, deep and low.

"For what?" He asked, throwing on a shirt as he avoided the cat.

"I can't tell you." Sakura replied, looking out the window.

"You're going to have to give me more than that Sakura chan" He told her, blue eyes hard.

"I'm going to find out who killed Sasuke." She replied. "and I know that the files to his autopsy are within the Hokage's medical records." She said simply. The cat hissed, snarling.

"Your cat must be insane. Why am I not surprised, it is yours after all" Naruto said, avoiding her gaze as he turned. The cat hissed, and leapt across the bed, curling himself in figure eights around Sakura's feet.

"Naruto?" She asked.

He grinned. "I knew you were up to something earlier. You could have just told me, you know." He said. "It probably would have saved you some time and trouble" He said putting on shoes.

"Oooh No. Absolutely not. You're not coming." Sakura said as it dawned on her what he was doing.

"Then you're not getting my keys." Naruto said with a grin.

"Be reasonable, Naruto. You're the hokage in training. I'm not risking your dream for this."

"I am being reasonable, dattebayo. And what about you being an Anbu captain? I assume you're going to go missing after this?" Naruto replied evenly.

"Naruto. The village already has a reason to hate you. I would never forgive myself if I ruined your chances at Hokage as well. Besides what about your team? You have people relying on you" She murmured.

"So do you" He said, eyeing her meaningfully.

"I'll come back. You know I will. I need to do this, Naruto. I wont be able to rest until I do."

Naruto sighed. "I know" He choked. "I know what this means to you." He murmured softly staring at the floor as he sat on the bed.

Sakura bent down and kissed his cheek. "Thank you"

"Be safe" He practically crushed her in his hug.

"You know I will" She said, fighting the tears in her eyes. He looked at her, sky blue eyes bright. The cat yowled, landing a swipe on Naruto's foot.

"Ouch! Shit!" He scowled, trying to kick it, but the cat was too quick. "You sure you don't own a ninja cat or something Sakura? How is your cat gonna stand being nukenin?" He glared.

"I suppose he'll survive. I can't leave him behind can I?" Sakura said with a smile.

"Here" He said handing her his pouch of gear and weaponry. "You'll need all the supplies you can get." He told her.

She hugged him fiercly again, kissing his cheek and made for the door.

"Sakura?" Naruto said. "throw the keys in the water beneath the bridge. The toads will get it." Sakura nodded, tears blinding her as she made her way back to the Hoakge tower, one brooding Uchiha in tow.

"Are you insane?" Itachi exclaimed, furious.

"I trust him" Sakura said simply. "He knows nothing about you being with me and so I didn't think it was a problem. I couldn't lie to him and it was faster to just tell him the truth." Sakura replied.

Itachi regarded her with angry red eyes. "You're a fool" He said that and nothing more, leading the way to the hokage tower.

"So I'm a fool" She replied with a shrug.

…………………………………………………………

Hatake Kakashi was awoken by a loud blare. He knew the sound well from the times of war, the amount of dangerous missions he had participated in. That loud blare often signified his leaving from that ultimate danger. The loud blare in Konoha could only mean one thing. Someone had invaded Konoha. Something had been taken. Urgency forcing adrenaline into his system he threw himself out of bed. Tumbling out of his bedroom fully dressed and armed in less than a minute he launched himself out the window, taking to the trees while rubbing the sleep from his eyes and reaching for a kunai from his holster. He bit his thumb, summoning his ninja dog pack who would undoubtedly be needed for tracking if Kiba and Akamaru were off on a mission. He felt the familiar ki that practically flash stepped near him. The monkey masked anbu ran alongside him.

"What's going on, Togoro kun?" He asked, hesitant. Did he really want to know what was going on? The cynical side of him wondered if it even mattered in the scale of things. But any information would be useful to deduce what he should do lest he meet up with an enemy.

"Someone's breached the tower" He said, eyes dark beneath the mask. Kakashi's visible eye widened.

"Hokage sama?" He pressed.

"She's safe. She wasn't there. That's whats so odd. It wasn't an assassination attempt" Togoro replied.

"Then an information breach" Kakashi deduced.

"Hai" Togoro nodded begrudgingly. He supposed it was alright telling Kakashi as a former anbu ops, and special jounin. Plus this was Sakura sama's Sensei. He could not keep such costly information from her. Togoro frowned as he worried. He couldn't sense her chakra anywhere

Kakashi's thoughts were along the same as Togoro's though he didn't know it. He analyzed the groups of Anbu being sent out all over Konoha. He searched for the two ki's that mattered. One was in his apartment, gathering his things. His apartment was on the way and Kakashi felt the kyuubi vessel before he appeared next to him in his jounin vest, stormy eyes troubled.

"Do we know who?" He murmured.

Naruto shook his head, tense and quiet as they raced towards the tower.

Kakashi felt around for the other chakra signature. She was masking it well for all but any but him searching for her. He had taught her that technique. For some reason Sakura's was on the edge of the forest heading out in the distance. Kakashi frowned.

…………………………………………………………..

He could hear them, couldn't mistake her presence. He heard another voice with her, though the chakra signature was indistinguishable.

"Fool! You should have known there would be a fail safe on that folder. That was careless of you" He said disapproval shining in those red eyes.

"We got it, didn't we?" She scowled. "Stop complaining and move faster! Anbu will be onto us in seconds." She muttered, though both were sprinting at top speed.

"Your Anbu is not that skilled. We have put considerable distance between us and them and they have just only discovered our entry. It should take twenty minutes for them to trace us here."

He decided now would be as good a time as any to reveal himself. The copy nin stood out from the trees.

"Shit" Sakura murmured, stopping. Itachi paused as well, eyes glaring balefully at the copy ninja.

"Sakura" Kakashi greeted, then tensed visibly as he looked at the sharingan user.

"I-Itachi…" His tomoe in his Sharingan whirled as Kakashi was about to launch his offensive, knowing Sakura would join in.

"Kakashi." Itachi greeted, halting his jutsu. "I suppose Sakura has already outed us to one of her teammates. What's another?" He muttered, with a smirk.

"Sakura?" Kakashi asked, eying her and the Uchiha, hesitating as Itachi had succeeded at his plan.

"Kakashi…" Sakura began.

"Get out of our way" Itachi ordered.

"Our? Sakura are _you_ traveling with Uchiha Itachi?" He asked her incredulously. His sharingan could see through illusions. He was in no genjutsu and she was no clone. His hands still formed the symbols for breaking just to be sure he was hallucinating.

Sakura hung her head and took a deep breathe. "Yes. It's complicated. I can't explain it now." She said.

"Sakura…you raided the Hokage tower then?" He asked gravely.

"Yes. And now we need to leave before they catch us, Sensei" Sakura replied.

Kakashi choked. "And you expect me to stand aside and let you walk away, then?" He said.

"You cannot stop us" Itachi replied arrogantly.

"Itachi!" Sakura hissed.

The Uchiha user did not acknowledge her hiss of disapproval, merely said this.

"Hurry up and be done with your farewells. We don't have time for this" Itachi said, disappearing into the brush.

"Sakura, whatever delusions you have about Sasuke's death you have to see that this is madness." He told her, gripping her arms fiercely. He wasn't going to lose another one. Not another one.

"Do you trust me, Kakashi?" Sakura asked him, eyes a serene jade.

"Sakura, you know I do, but this…with Him?!" He exclaimed. "You're asking for death. You'll be a traitor."

"Then you know I need to do this. Please, Sensei. As your teammate...As your friend" Sakura begged.

"I can't let you become a missing nin, like him Sakura" Kakashi choked.

"I am not him, nor am I making the same mistakes he made. I owe him this small thing, Kakashi." Sakura's anger radiated.

"Once it's done, I'll come back. I'm not afraid. I'll face whatever punishment there is. You know I will. I already promised Naruto…Please" She pleaded.

Well that explained Naruto's tenseness earlier. He wasn't worried about the enemy. He was worried about Sakura.

"You didn't tell him about Itachi did you?" Kakashi asked her.

"He wouldn't understand." Sakura replied simply.

"I don't think _I_ understand" Kakashi muttered. "Sasuke's murderer, and you going hand in hand, away from Konoha. Are you insane?"

"He didn't murder Sasuke. You know that, as well as I do, though. I'm going with him to find out who did." Sakura replied. "For all of us. We deserve to know the truth, Kakashi and I'm the only one who can do it." She said, eyes determined.

"That's not true" Kakashi said, eying the bushes where the Uchiha prodigy left.

"This team has had enough battering, to lose you too, Sakura."

"He won't trust you. I'm the only one who can do this, Kakashi. Please entrust me with this mission" Sakura pleaded.

The girl who was always so far behind the others, the useless one who had never been any good at anything was gone. Kakashi had seen her grow, had trained her upon entering into Anbu and knew that she was capable. No, Sakura was more than capable of doing this and he knew then that he couldn't stop her. His ties to his team were too deeply embedded to stop her from something this serious though technically his act could be construed as treachery to Konoha. He could never hurt her, as he could never hurt Naruto or even Sai. His loyalty to his teammates in the end, had _always_ been his priority.

Kakashi sighed. "Ma, ma, Sakura. You're growing up to be troublesome" He said distressingly. "Take them" He said, un strapping his katana. "I know you lost yours. These will fare better"

Sakura smiled and pulled them on. "Thank you, Kakashi" She said kissing his cheek. "I'll come back" She called, as she sprinted after the Uchiha Prodigy.

Kakashi waved half heartedly, wondering what on earth he had done and yet knowing he couldn't have…wouldn't have done anything differently. He eyed pakkun who eyed him, and jerked him thumb in their general direction. It wasn't that he didn't trust Sakura. It was that he didn't trust Uchiha Itachi.

(**Question: Why did you cop out and not write the tower scene?:**

**Answer: **Because I've got too much to do with this fic to focus on the minutiae and I considered that portion of the story as minutiae. Uchiha Itachi and Sakura are completely capable of a basic break in, particularly when they've got the keys. It wasn't from lack of wanting to focus on the details but this is already 18 chapters and we've only now gotten to this point and I was hoping to reach this place about 6 chapters ago. Bunny trails that sub navigate the plot need to be avoided. Maybe I'll write a side fic in explanation, but for now the decision stays to plow on through.)


	19. On the Road

AN: it took a while and me rereading about 100 chapters of Naruto before I could poke the plot fairies into festering. Sorry that the updates are taking longer I just want to spend more time making sure the chapters are how I want them to be. Plus writers block is a bitch of a thing to overcome.

_"There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth…not going all the way, and not starting."-Buddha-_

Sakura felt the tears again, as she ran with Itachi. Twenty two hours since they had escaped Konoha and they had not stopped. It wasn't easy to ignore the pain in her trembling legs. They were threatening to give out on her as it was. Had she ever run so far, or so fast before? The pain in her legs screamed a resounding no. That pain was nothing, though in comparison to her battered heart. She had left her home. She gasped and wheezed, stumbling and thankfully Itachi stopped.

"Rest. Catch your breath. We are almost there" Itachi ordered.

Of course he was standing, not a hair out of place, or having difficulty breathing. She glared at him enviously till what he'd said connected.

"Where?" Sakura gasped. She tried to fight the feelings she felt threatening to overcome her tremulous hold. The feelings of being hollow, broken, and alone.

"Somewhere safe" He replied with a gentle tone.

Sakura's eyes widened to see, not a look of compassion necessarily…no she would have recoiled from his pity, or rather would not have known what to do with it. The look Itachi bore wasn't a look of sympathy, or pity, but a knowing look. A look that knew the pain she felt. A look of empathy. And then Sharingan eyes narrowed as his head darted left.

"Get up. We're being followed." Itachi ordered, eyes guarded again.

Sakura wondered briefly, if she had imagined that look of empathy on his face. She was so tired and bone weary that hallucination was definitely possible. But _why_ would Itachi have such a look on his face? Itachi looked back to her, making sure she was rising to her feet, eyes cold. Jade eyes hardened in determination, as she pulled her sore limbs up and off the ground.

"How does it feel to be hunted, Sakura?" Itachi asked darkly.

Sakura's eyes narrowed at his jab. But then her lips tightened in an imitation of his own smirk.

"It feels like home" She replied, jade eyes hard against those Sharingan.

His lips curved into a dark smile, as he nodded approvingly at her answer. Itachi vanished, taking the lead.

Sakura sighed. She meant what she had said. She would have to get used to being the hunted now. In truthfulness the danger forced her to action. But she couldn't help but think of how often had she been on the other side, hunting down enemy nukenin for the bounty. Sakura closed her eyes against the tears and pushed herself harder to keep up with the stoic Uchiha. To be weak now, meant death for her. For a nukenin.

Everything fell into place it seemed. Had her entire life been leading her up to this point? The only way to truly test her weakness? It was like some crazy Gai sensei test, only darker; sick and twisted. If this was her test, then she would be worthy of it. She had done it. This was something that required every ounce of strength and will. She had done the forbidden. She had done the forbidden with one who was darker and blacker than any other in Konoha history. She couldn't run away, because there was no where to run to anymore. She had chosen this path. And now having recognized all of this, Weakness simply wasn't something she could afford anymore.

……………………………………………………

The week went by slowly for the Konoha nin. The hokage tower was being infiltrated and examined from the top down for security purposes. They were going to be prepared in the future. It would never happen again under Tsunade's reign, she was determined. All of the top geniuses were putting their brilliance towards the operation. Hazel eyes blazed in sheer fury. She had spent countless hours trying to put the pieces together, to make sense of how someone had breached their already advanced system. Tsunade was one of the most intelligent kunoichi in the village, followed shortly by her missing apprentice. And now she would _know_ what was going on.

"Get them in my office. Now" She snarled to Shizune, who trembled from the Godaime's rage.

………………………………………………………..

Team seven sat stiffly, albeit for Togoro kun, who fidgeted, rather nervous of the Hokage who gave them all death glares as she looked at them, hands folded.

"Do any of you care to explain?" She began, hazel eyes blazing.

"I-I'm not sure I understand, Hokage sama. Explain what?" Togoro kun asked, trembling.

Tsunade's eye twitched in irritation. She hadn't slept for at least 26 hours.

"Out." Tsunade snapped.

Togoro blinked, confused. "W-wha-"

"NOW!" She snarled.

Togoro meeped, and disappeared in a cloud of smoke, as Tsunade waited for the area to clear.

Eyebrows arched, as bloodshot hazel eyes that were even more intense fixed their leery gaze on them. She specifically glared at Naruto and Kakashi.

"Sakura is missing" She emphasized each consonant and syllable, trembling in fury.

They each had appropriate looks of disturbance except for Sai who sat there as usual. Tsunade's suspicion tripled three fold.

"Whaddya mean Sakura Chan's gone?" Naruto expressed vehemently, standing.

"You have three seconds to explain before I enlist you in D ranked missions for the rest of your life" She growled, seething with fury.

None of them flinched.

"Very well then. The council wants to talk to you about the probability of my missing apprentice being a traitor." She snarled, getting up and slamming the door. Team seven winced.

"That went well.." Naruto said, scratching his head nervously.

Team seven sat through the interrogation of the council answering correctly to each of the question posed. Did they know where Sakura was? Could they vouch for her loyalty to the village? Had Sakura done anything that might conflict with Konoha's interest in the past? Was Sakura unstable as her mental examinations hadn't been as high scored as they would have liked. Did they have any idea where Sakura might be, or have gone to?

Then they discussed action plans. She would be hunted, put in the bingo books. She would have to be brought back alive for questioning, probably interrogated by Ibiki at the very least until all the answers could be explained. There were still doubts and skeptics on the information breach who wanted to connect the two as there was no other logical assumption to be formed. Why else would Haruno run? Naruto was irritated and flustered as he answered and listened to question after question with jaw clenched.

Naruto had learned the hard way what it truly meant to be Hokage. This was as much a trial for him in his training to become hokage as it was for Sakura chan. He couldn't afford to irritate these people, the people who were watching him as he watched them. These would be the people he would answer to as Rokudaime Hokage. If he couldn't earn their approval then he would not be hokage. It was a simple as that. And so he swallowed the pain he felt as the questions continued to come, battering at his defense and resolve. Each of the very questions were probing, searching for weakness. He wasn't surprised. They were from some of the most brilliant shinobi and retired ninja the village had to offer.

Tsunade couldn't say she wasn't proud of her hokage in training and his companions she had grown fond of during her reign as Godaime. Team seven stood boldly by her missing apprentice's ghost, refusing to budge or even consider some of their rather rash accusations. They were trying to provoke Naruto in particular into giving more than he wanted to, knowing the brash teen's temper. Tsunade half smiled. Their loyalty was touching, if anything.

The hours ticked by and finally team seven was dismissed, the council having gathered the information they apparently needed. They parted on good terms, neither holding grudges which was fortunate. Naruto had grown in maturity, realizing that the council was doing their job, and he had his to do. With a nod, Tsunade gestured for them to follow her out.

Team seven was hesitant after withstanding such a verbal assault. Even Sai appeared skeptical proof that he was finally starting to gain some emotional feeling, another success of team seven. Apparently she had debriefing paperwork to go over with them. They followed her reluctantly to the hokage tower, to her office.

Tsunade took a deep breathe.

"She is not in the village as I'm sure you know damn well and I doubt she's going to return with the anbu watch this morning."

"Anbu watch? She is an anbu captain, couldn't she have ordered a group out?" Kakashi asked.

"It was the group that left to secure our perimeters at the breech, on my orders." Tsunade replied, eyes narrowing on the copy nin.

"I'll ask you again. Where is my apprentice?"

"Why would you think we know that, Obaa-san? We've already sat through the council's interrogation. Were you planning Ibiki next?" Naruto snapped, finally sick of hiding the irritation he had pent up.

"Because we both know that you do. You may be able to fool the council, but do _not_ mock me, brat."

"I'm not sure I know what you're talking about, Hokage sama" Kakashi answered with a crinkle eyed smile.

"If _anything_ happens to her, I will hold you all personally responsible." Tsunade snarled, slamming her fist down.

"You act like something will happen to her. Sakura Chan is not an idiot. She knows what she's doing, even if we don't. We trust her" Naruto growled.

Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "Watch it" She growled right back.

"Forgive Naruto, Hokage sama, Team seven is just as upset about her abrupt departure as you are" Kakashi said, looking at Naruto disapprovingly.

"As Hokage in training, there is no excuse for such rash behavior, even if it is with me, brat. If you don't want D ranked missions for the rest of your team's career, you'd best tell me what's going on."

They sat stiffly, eyes determined, even in the face of D Ranked missions. Those who abandon their teammates are worse than trash had been drilled in them by Kakashi after all.

Tsunade couldn't fault them for their loyalty, though she wanted to, as she raked a frustrated hand through her bangs and brought out her sake dish. They watched as she poured and took a sip, taking her sweet damn time. She let the silence stay and permeate, but still got no response. Sighing as she acknowledged their tenacity as she cursed it, Tsunade switched tactics.

"I could order you to tell me where she is." She told them finally.

"You could, Obaasan, but then you might have to be responsible for that information and I don't think that's something you want, Dattebayo." Naruto replied.

Tsunade sighed.

"Pakkun is trailing her, Hokage sama." Kakashi reassured.

Her eyebrows rose in surprise. "Naruto, Sai. Out." She jerked her thumb.

More ninja poofs exploded and they were gone as the smoke cleared.

Tsunade paused. "Keep me informed" She said softly. Hatake nodded and grabbed her shoulder comfortingly. She flinched and Kakashi wondered briefly if he should run, but then she settled against consoling his touch.

"She will be fine, Hokage sama. Should anything happen Pakkun would know and get word to me, regardless."

"If she's with who I suspect she's with, then it wont matter what precautions are taken" She murmured, fighting the tears she felt.

"Out" She ordered refusing to let him see her weak.

"Rest at ease, Hokage sama. She is a capable kunoichi. You trained her well. Trust her" He advised, hoping out the window.

"Genius she may be…but she's up against a prodigy" She murmured to herself.  
…………………………………………………….

She had passed out after thirty eight hours of running from Konoha's borders at top speed. He was surprised by her stamina, though he suspected it was grim determination coupled with sheer stubbornness that she had held on for as long as she did. It didn't matter. They had escaped their followers, by some conveniently placed traps, clones and the fortunate luck of a river to run up. Their scent would not be held on the water and so the likelihood of being discovered, with clones to throw off the scent, was low.

They were relatively safe here for the time being and Itachi had set up traps to warn him should some unexpected intruder manage to find one of his well concealed hide outs. He had used it in times before with relative safety as it was hidden beneath rock, but Itachi was nothing but cautious and thorough. He knew it was only a matter of time before this place too would have to be abandoned for a time. He deposited his precious burden into a bed, pulling the covers up and around her as he sealed the door, making his way to his own quarters and applying a seal before falling asleep.

She felt the chakra flare from some sort of seal and green eyes snapped open, as she reached for her kunai from her holster, and rolled off the bed into a crouch.

Itachi smirked, opening the door. "Good morning." He told her.

Sakura scowled, and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Where are we?"

"Somewhere between Konoha and Stone. We will work from here on the information and decode it. Some of it has to be applicable to our situation at hand"

"Oh." She replied. "How long was I asleep?" She asked.

"Eighteen hours." He replied.

Sakura's brow furrowed. "You shouldn't be surprised. You hadn't recovered from your previous fights and used up all your chakra running the past night and a half." He said.

Sakura blinked.

"I brought a change of clothing for you. You shouldn't use or wear anything that identifies you with Konoha from this point on, Sakura." He said.

"I'll leave you to change. There's a kitchen for your uses and the bathroom is down the hall, equipped with everything you should need. When you are ready, meet me in the study." He told her.

Sakura blinked and looked at the change of clothes on the nightstand by the bed she'd slept in. She grabbed them, and headed to the bathroom.

Showered and chewing on a peach she'd found from the bowl of fruit in the kitchen, she padded down the wooden floor paneled hallway to the study.

She'd changed into the plain red vest, fishnet long sleeve shirt beneath it and black drawstring pants. She'd placed her extra bound bandages on her left leg, and of course her pouch with her kunai and senbon. She'd left the strapped katana in her room figuring she wouldn't need them immediately for the research they would be doing, though she missed the feeling of something on her back. It was proof she'd spent too long out of the village and traveling. She scrubbed her wet pink hair with her half gloved hands, missing the comforting weight of her hitae-ate. She grimaced. She couldn't wear that now.

Knocking on the door she presumed was the study she heard what sounded like a "Hn". Translating in Itachi talk, given the tone, she figured that meant yes or come in. Sakura hesitantly opened the door.

"Itachi ..san?" She added, a new found hesitancy towards the Uchiha prodigy.

Her eyes were drawn to the bookshelves first. His study held bookshelf after bookshelf of books on jutsu and other subjects. It was like he had a mini lab set up here, recognizing several instruments she worked with in the hospital, complete with a separate area with a mahogany desk and a work table. She supposed she shouldn't have been surprised. From what she had gathered from looking at the other rooms in his house, it was humble but refined. Uchiha Itachi was a man of taste, apparently appreciating simplicity and elegance in his home.

Itachi sat at the desk, pouring over the manilla folders and what looked like her shishou's script. She was surprised to find him lightly chewing on the end of a pair of wide frame spectacles. He looked up at her briefly.

"I laid out the information I wanted you to pour over with some reference notes over there. I'm hoping you'll find something I didn't with your personal relationship to the Hokage" He motioned to the desk, returning to the paper at hand in front of him.

His professionalism made her smile, green eyes glowing as he was completely focused on the task at hand. The other part that kept her smiling was that he was trusting her with the paperwork.

Sakura shrugged "You're pretty thorough, but I'll be happy to give it a look" She flashed him another smile and cracked her knuckles, as she processed through the folders.

They had been at it for hours neither of them moving much in the time that passed as they poured thoroughly over the information given. The only movement that had happened from either of them was Itachi lighting candles he had spread about the work room. Sakura chewed on the end of her pen, brows furrowing at the information. Something wasn't right. But she couldn't put her finger on it.

Itachi stood, and looked at his bright haired companion.

"Sakura?" He asked eying her.

"Aah." She replied

"It's past time for dinner" He replied.

"Aah" She murmured, still pouring over the notes.

That was until his hands on her arms were there. She yelped, nearly jumping up out of her chair. Itachi's tender grip on her kept her from falling, amusement flashing in those coal black eyes. Gods…he didn't have his Sharingan activated.

"So-sorry" She murmured, cheeks flaming.

"You will find focusing an easier task when you are nourished properly" He said, a hint of a smile playing on those thin lips.

Sakura realized to her dismay that she was famished, her stomach apparently had been protesting hours ago. She had always gotten caught in research though.

"A-aah" She replied as he released his hold on her, gesturing with a quick of his eyes for her to follow him.

"Itachi..san?" Sakura questioned heisitantly. He turned his head to her to acknowledge that he was listening.

"Um..I can't help but notice that you have always had your Sharingan activated." _And now you don't… _Sakura thought.

"Aah." He replied.

"Why?" She said after he didn't seem to answer.

"Remember when we walked up the river?"

"Mmm" she replied.

"In order to have ten pairs of active clones together, with similar chakra control and signature as ours it requires a great deal of chakra" Itachi replied

"You held the clones even while sleeping?" She asked, surprised.

He didn't answer. "I have depleted too much chakra to hold my Sharingan for the time being."

Sakura wasn't sure how to respond to that. She flushed. The level of trust he put in her was astounding. Itachi saw the look and his eyes narrowed.

"Do not make foolish assumptions. I am more than capable of dealing with you at my current level should the need arise" Itachi warned.

Sakura sighed, and glanced up at Itachi from beneath her lashes. She probably should have been irritated, but knowing now how utterly paranoid this particular Uchiha could be, she decided to let it go. He was even more distrusting than his brother, though Sasuke's childhood had probably been much different from Itachi's. She wondered briefly what kind of family Sasuke's had been, for Itachi to have excelled to the strength that he had when he was in Konoha. From the records, she had understood Uchiha Fugaku to be a hard and cold man.

She looked back at Itachi. She was pleased to note that his eyes were different from Sasuke's. As a fan girl, she had spent countless hours focusing on him, how he moved, talked, spoke, looked. Where Sasuke's eyes bordered on a dark grey almost blue, Itachi's were black like charcoal and… fading around the edges. Sakura felt her hands twitch. He was going blind. The medic in her wanted to examine them, as Kakashi was physically incapable of shutting the Sharingan off. How different did his eyes look, what sort of damage would she find if she examined him?

Itachi walked into the kitchen pulling out miscellaneous ingredients and kitchen as he began dinner, gesturing for her to help. Sakura sighed and went to help him.


	20. Desire

AN: Oh man. And here things get interesting. Hemophilia B actually exists and I had to do a bit of research to really pull the bits and pieces together.

Oyasumi and Oyasumi Nasai mean good night/sweet dreams, essentially what is said right before bed.

"_The starting point of all achievement is desire." Napoleon Hill_

Itachi sipped his tea thoughtfully as he took into account what Sakura was saying. They had both finished their miso quickly, eager to get to the information at hand. After all they were both genius' and work -a- holics at the core; neither could avoid the subject of their research for long. Itachi particularly looked forward to it because it had been a while since he had collaborated with someone of worthy intelligence. It hadn't happened since Sasori's death. This was not to bemoan his previous partner, Kisame, but the shark man really couldn't compete with Sakura's intellect.

"So you're saying that you have a 'feeling' that something's wrong with the information provided." Itachi said eyeing her, eyebrow arching in silent accusation.

"There's a lot of things within Shishou's notes that didn't quite add up. The cause of death being the first. The area of impact being the second, and finally the poison, itself." Sakura finished as she fingered her mug of tea.

"Explain" Itachi ordered.

"It's too simple. Sasuke being susceptible to a rare poison that has a fifty percent chance of killing as it doesn't? What kind of idiot ninja uses that kind of poison to kill _him_?" Sakura asked. "I mean he wasn't a god or anything, but he wouldn't have been beat by a second rate ninja."

Itachi smirked. "Some use to think that the Sharingan was a gift from the gods to rule among the land of mortals." He told her.

Sakura rolled her eyes.

"To answer your question though, it would be the kind of idiot that _knows_ his body is susceptible." Itachi remarked pensive as he stroked his chin.

"Are you telling me that there's a Hemophilia trait within the genetics of the Uchiha clan?" Sakura challenged, eyebrow arching.

Sakura was extensively aware of the Uchiha medical records. She had set to memorizing them by heart when she was finally granted access to them. She had been trying to decipher some sort of medical clue in regards to the mysteriousness that surrounded their family and the Sharingan. It wasn't just simply because of her rather obsessive compulsive nature of stalking Sasuke.

Sakura had actually started with the Uchiha files about a year after Sasuke had left them, hoping to uncover something useful regarding Itachi. Instead what she had discovered unlocked a lot of clan strife, and more questions than she had legitimate tangible answers. There were a lot of things she longed to ask him as she had formed a few speculative hunches in regards to the dead members of the Uchiha Clan. She suspected Fugaku of child abuse based on some of the medical files.

"No genetic trait exists that I was ever aware of, but then again the specific medical issues of my family wasn't exactly knowledge I was privileged to at that age, or along the lines of my specialty." Itachi said meaningfully.

Sakura scowled. He had to bring up _that_ issue didn't he? It was so hard to hold in context that the man who was having tea with her and so incredibly talented and intelligent had also committed the near genocide of the entire Uchiha clan.

"So you don't know?" Sakura replied, ignoring the poignant jab, chewing on her lip.

"It is possible, I suppose, that Hemophilia B was present in my foolish little brother, but we wouldn't have had any way of catching or diagnosing it, at that point in time. Particularly not during the third's reign. Medical ninja were never a luxury he had the time to train." Itachi replied.

"The Sharingan wouldn't have caught that in his blood?" Sakura asked.

"The Sharingan sees through genjutsu, taijutsu, and ninjutsu, Sakura. It doesn't allow you to see through skin layers, but rather contains more useful properties such as the ability to copy techniques." Itachi chided.

"The Byakugan contains properties of this ability, allowing it's user to 'see' through the flow points of chakra but nothing so sophisticated exists that I'm aware of in a Kekkei Genkai of any clan, as the Sharingan." Itachi finished.

Itachi had traveled the world, had probably been among more hidden villages and battled more kekkei genkai than Sakura could even imagine. If any one would want to know that costly kind of information it would have been Uchiha Itachi.

"So the Sharingan can't see the blood cells?" Sakura asked, eyebrow raised skeptically.

Itachi regarded her skepticism with a smirk.

"None of the Uchiha members at that time had the eye strength to be able to catch something of that sort. Unfortunately, I didn't think to look for something as a genetic mutation present in him whilst we lived in the Uchiha compound." Itachi sighed.

"Weren't there any medics among the Uchiha?" Sakura questioned.

"Medical knowledge was never a priority and even if it had been, Hemophilia B isn't exactly common placed knowledge, either. You know the chances of that outcome as well as I do." Itachi replied.

"1 in 34,000." Sakura replied, brow furrowed.

"If he had such a genetic problem present, how did he manage to keep from bleeding to death?" Itachi asked, frowning.

Such a problem in his brother should have been information that passed through or to him as the probable heir to the Uchiha clan. At the very least he should have been told so as not to kill his brother with a simple fight, knick or cut…Well, that was to say, until he was ready to do so, of course.

"Oh no." She cried, smacking her forehead. "Baka, Baka, Baka!" Sakura scowled, banging her head on the table.

Itachi didn't have to say anything for Sakura to correctly interpret his look.

"S-sorry" She murmured.

She pulled herself together and took a deep breath.

"Sasuke had several medical exams when he was little, particularly when he was throwing kunai whilst training according to the notes in which is fingers were badly cut. They probably discovered it at that point in time." Sakura said.

"What would they have done to halt such a devastating problem? As far as I was aware, no cure existed." Itachi asked.

Sakura smiled. "Your knowledge of medical jutsu impresses me, Itachi san"

"There's no cure for the condition, but there are measures that can be taken to supplement the body's lack of genetic function. They probably gave him some sort of injection of antibodies which would stray the problem for a while." Sakura replied.

"You memorized the Uchiha Medical records?" He prompted, surprised.

Sakura flushed. "It's not what you think. After Sasuke left, I wanted to see if I could find anything within the Uchiha family…that explained..." She didn't finish.

"Why I might have possibly killed my clan?" Itachi finished for her.

"I didn't mean it like that-" She protested.

Itachi smirked. "You are not the first to question my sanity, Sakura." Itachi replied, dismissing the subject.

"Now, Antibodies are a common solution to most unknown clinical symptoms present with small children, correct?" Itachi replied.

Sakura nodded.

"Then it's probable, even though difficult to believe that Sasuke might have had this condition and been misdiagnosed but given proper treatment anyways and been unable to outgrow it as originally hoped with the treatment." Itachi stated.

"If…and this is a big if, Sasuke had such a genetic factor, the symptoms of the poison weren't simply for a straight kill, which is why it's suspicious that it was still present in his body…after all most ninja use poisons that dispel quicker so they're not traceable." Sakura

Itachi took a sip of his tea, the tilt of his head encouraging her to continue.

"I made it a specific study of mine to make sure I knew my poisons and antidotes. Most of my research to be able to graduate as a trained medic during my three year apprenticeship was in making more progress on our archives of poisons and antidotes for those." Sakura said.

"Which is why you were able to save the Kazekage and his brother" Itachi commented thoughtfully.

"And also why I know what I do now. The poison in his body wasn't simply a fifty fifty chance of killing him though it's commonly used as that by any half rate nin. The side effects of such a poison, assuming that he had such a genetic factor as Hemophilia B would have also hampered his own body's abilities to clot his blood. The wounds from his autopsy would be extensive enough to do the job in light of that factor" Sakura said, chewing her lip nervously as she tapped her finger on the table.

"So the enemy knew more about his medical conditions than Konoha was able to aptly diagnose at the time of the third's reign." Itachi said, thinking out loud.

"Hmm.." Sakura frowned.

"We can safely say that our killer has an extensive knowledge of his medical conditions, if he did, indeed, have something so rare, that even the Godaime Hokage wouldn't have immediately recognized it." Itachi said, approval shinning in those dark eyes of his.

Sakura waved her hand flippantly. "It's a very rare genetic factor and one would have to know what they're looking for on both spectrums to be able to connect the two." Sakura replied sheepishly.

"And yet you were able to within a matter of hours." Itachi replied, eyes on her.

"It looked like she was quick to wrap up the autopsy, satisfied with the fact that poison killed him, not needing to dig deeper than that for the moment with other more pressing issues going on." Sakura replied, blushing under that gaze.

"A-and it's very easy to misdiagnose which I- I think was the case here. Not intellect." She stammered.

"Sakura" Itachi said standing. Sakura rose to her feet, nervous as he strode towards her.

"Eh…Itachi…san…" Sakura barely remembered the ending, hands on her chair, unsure of his proximity or what to do about it.

Calloused, nail polished fingertips forced her to look into his eyes.

"You are the only one who could have possibly known that information and have connected these two outcomes as quickly. We have made considerable progress today because of your efforts." He told her.

She blushed, prettily, the pink blooming on her cheeks, the color making her green eyes all the more alluring beneath her long thick black lashes.

"Take a _compliment_, Kunoichi" He said. He took her hand and kissed it, eyes never leaving hers as he delicately released her hand and left the kitchen to head back to the library.

Sakura flushed. "Itachi?" She questioned, turning as she followed his leaving.

"Rest for the evening. Enough progress has been made to warrant it" He replied as he sat down, setting his spectacles on as he pulled a book from a shelf in his living room, lighting a candle and sitting down to read. She had followed him into the room.

"But we could-" She protested, but his fingers on her lips stopped her. Green eyes widened, her lovely flush returning.

"We both need rest to recover our chakra. We will do better tomorrow when there is light out and we have slept on the information for a night." He told her with an amused quirk of those thin lips.

Sakura's eyes stayed fixed on them as she swallowed hesitantly. "I-Itachi…san." She added as an after thought.

That particular tilt of his head told her he was listening.

"Would you be willing to train with me tomorrow?" Sakura asked.

"Aah. I will wake you." He told her. "In the mean time you should examine some of the scrolls I left in your room. You might find them beneficial." He said, returning to his seat and book.

Sakura smiled softly and padded her way to her room.

"Oyasumi nasai" Sakura said shyly as she made her way down the hall.

"Oyasumi, Sakura" Sakura heard his reply down the hall.

…………………………………………………….

Sakura groaned as she wiped the sleep from her eyes as the ever silent Uchiha led the way. He led them downstairs that Sakura hadn't even known existed. Sakura could feel the difference in temperature, the rock formations surrounding causing her to shiver, the deeper they went. Torches lined the walls and with a snap of his fingers they lit brilliantly revealing a training area the size of the anbu fields.

"Y-you keep a training area in your house…underground. Ugh I should have known" She scowled.

"Training does not stop when one becomes a missing nin. In fact I'm bold enough to offer that this is where your real training will begin, Sakura."

"Begin?" She asked sullenly. Itachi smirked.

"You have much to learn in order to move and function as a nukenin." He told her.

"But what about the information we've discovered so far?" Sakura asked.

"We will have two sessions of training, once in the morning and once in the evening. The afternoons will be spent with research until we come up with a feasible plan." Itachi replied.

"But your mind should not be focusing on other things. You will need the entirety of yourself to battle me" He told her.

Sakura scowled. It had been the same with Tsunade Shishou when she had undertaken her apprenticeship. Twice a day. And research. Oh gods…

"Begin" He told her, and Sakura drew her kunai wearily.

………………………………..

Sakura was on the floor, covered with miscellaneous cuts and scratches, gasping for breath as Itachi stood over her. She coughed, spitting out a tooth she would have to surgically reapply later.

"We shall break for lunch and following that, research." He told her. She didn't move but to take a shuddering breath. "You did well for your first time." He told her.

"Ughhh…." She moaned.

"Come." He ordered. She groaned and rose wearily to her feet following after him with staggering steps as she picked up her bloodied tooth, tongue tracing the shallow hole hollowly as she put her healing chakra to good use.

Lunch came and went and the two were back again at researching.

"There are only two people Sasuke has come in contact with that would have that kind of medical prowess." Sakura said. "Kabuto, Orochimaru's creepy little assistant. And the red headed girl on team hebi.."

"You are referring to Karin." Itachi said.

Sakura's eyes dulled. The red headed girl who had originally been one of Orochimaru's henchmen but had joined up with team hebi all those years ago. Sakura didn't want to say her name, flashbacks of the mangekyou Itachi had used on her when they were in Konoha still made her flinch and shudder. Karin was one of their targets in finding out more about Sasuke's death. Great.

Itachi eyed her as he watched the emotions flickering across her face, in those eyes.

"We will go after her first" He said.

"But Kabuto has more medical prowess under his belt than-" Sakura protested.

"Karin would have more than likely seen my foolish little brother last. She has the most connection with him, and as such will be our first target." Itachi replied steadily.

Sakura scowled, but her eyes hardened as she was lost again in her memories of Itachi's illusion. She would have to fight against the red head.

Her eyes shone with determination.

"When?" She asked.

"Assuming all goes well, and your training continues, I presume three weeks. But it might be longer if all does not proceed according to plan. After all planning only comes from anticipated outcome" Itachi replied.

"So what exactly does this training involve?" Sakura replied.

"Everything. I will seek to give you technique, stamina, physical and mental toughness to endure the battles ahead. Your chakra reserves will deepen, your senses will heighten and if you do exceedingly well, you may actually be able to fight the Sharingan on equal footing." Itachi replied.

"Three weeks. That's not much time." She replied. "Me and Naruto trained for three years to reach a fighting level of jounin level ninja. I had three years of hard training before I made Anbu. And you think you can teach me to be capable in a matter of three weeks? It can't be done." Sakura replied.

"Those years you trained, were a stepping stone for the training you will now receive. You laid a foundation for us to build upon. You have been working your entire life to reach this point, Sakura"

"And just how do you plan to accomplish this? I'm the weakest of my three man team, still." Sakura admitted bitterly.

"Your three man team is also among the top ninja of the world. Third place of your team, taking into account that skill on a world's measure and that you still would rank high in the bingo books…This is not something to be ashamed of. It's a testament of strength that you've come this far." Itachi replied

"You're dodging my question" Sakura retorted.

"The answer is always found within, Sakura." Itachi replied.

"What do you mean?"

"You will find out" He told her. "Come. Our research is done for the day and as you've admitted, it will take a great deal of work to turn you into a credible nukenin."

Sakura scowled, glaring at the figure of the retreating Uchiha. "Done? We haven't done anything. Itachi-wait-"

"You sought me out. You demanded in your naïve arrogance for me to teach you. Do you refute your own words? If so, I will kill you now and be on my way" Itachi told her, Sharingan flaring.

Itachi was deathly serious as his eyes held hers.

"I meant them, Itachi san. I want to be stronger." She replied evenly.

Itachi strode towards her, centimeters away from her face as he looked her deep in the eyes. Sakura did not flinch, or budge under that unwavering gaze. His gaze was approving, studying and calculating as he looked her from head to toe. His fingers came up and Sakura blinked, those calloused fingers, running along her lips. Her gaze wavered as his other hand wrapped around her waist, bringing her close. She licked her lips hastily, eyeing him hesitantly.

"Do you want it more than Sasuke? More than Karin? More than the kyuubi bearer?" Itachi asked her, eyes hard.

"Yes" She replied evenly.

His lips crashed onto hers and she kissed him hungrily back as one hand snaked around her waist to bring her closer, the other burying itself in her short tresses. Her tongue slid across his own as she let out a disconcerted moan, gasping as he broke the kiss to suckle on her neck, placing adorning kisses and nips in a burning trail down her tender throat. It was no secret between them that they desired each other. Every look, every touch pointed to that most obvious idea. The question was could she overcome that?

Her mouth went to his ear, nipping harshly. "Itachi" She breathed. "Don't _tease _me" She replied with meaning, as she brought his head up and kissed him hard, hands buried in his raven black mane.

Itachi grinned, breaking the kiss chastely, as he stepped back. "Very good." He said, licking his bottom lip as he regarded the formidable kunoichi in front of him.

He led the way. Sakura followed.


	21. Shattered Identity

AN: It's a shorter update because I'd prolonged the update for long enough as it was and figured having something short that was good enough to be posted was better than nothing. The next portion of the story is giving me considerable headaches and so it might be a while until the next update. Sorry about that.

Umm also…I didn't exactly skip over the training as you can tell with this chapter and the ending of this one will give you some clue into the next one. I just didn't want to go into microscopic detail of the training, dissecting it. But it needed to be believable so, yea…and really We all know Itachi sama is secretive, and wouldn't share his techniques with me anyways ::pouts::

In case you didn't know, as I realized I haven't had a disclaimer for this story yet, I don't own anything. Bummer.

"_It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not." -Anonymous-_

Two weeks into the training and Sakura could feel the difference. Though the past two weeks had been the most grueling, torturous hell filled weeks, of her entire life. There were many times she had willed her death before having to pull her withered muscles and near corpse like body back to his training for more pain. She had never been so sore in her entire life and she'd had no healing chakra left at the end of the day to heal her battered body lest she suffer from chakra exhaustion the next day. She went to sleep with ripped ligaments, torn muscles, cracked ribs, broken fingers. The worst night was when she'd broken her leg and had to hobble and then finally crawl her way to bed.

She could feel it. Not just in her toned physique. Sakura had been toned before. She had lost at least ten pounds in the intensity of the training and gained muscle. After all, she was intelligent in her own rights. She could feel it in the way she moved, they way she thought about battle. And working with a genius forced her to rise to the occasion. One could only get pummeled so much before something was bound to change. She could start catching subtle nuances in his movement and finally be able to see and read his actions. She was beginning to see through his subtlety.

Sakura had never had a task master like the stern Uchiha prodigy. Itachi was absolutely unforgiving. If she had so much as a toe out of place in her form he would batter her with blows that would expose her bad footwork for what it was. He worked on her form most specifically making sure that she never shifted, that her footwork was absolutely perfect. He had pointed out to her that if she didn't have proper footwork it would waste some of the chakra channeling through her devastating blows. It would also leave her open for opponents. She had the form down by the end of the week.

He did not go easy on her or lightly. He did not use the same jutsu on her twice, exposing her to multiple jutsu that she had no earthly idea how to counter. She took the full impact of every blow, every jutsu he used and he did not hold back. Sakura had never felt more clumsy in her entire career as a ninja. She was pummeled assaulted by techniques at every turn. And when she ran out of chakra, they began Taijutsu. The man tore away at everything she had ever been and reformed what was left, what stood the test of his blows, improving, designing and sculpting. And she grew stronger because of it.

She lasted longer, could hear, see, and feel much clearer than she ever had in her life. Her senses were heightened, aware of the most miniscule things that others would overlook. She learned how to respond in split second with a counter jutsu and he countered even those forcing her to continue to operate in a fast paced environment. She didn't have time to think it through thoroughly. She had to trust her first decision, whether or not it failed. In turn, she learned to make better decisions in split second scenarios. She had never whirled through hand seals as quickly as she did now, and she did not hesitate any longer, a trait Itachi had literally pummeled out of her.

She couldn't afford to, when a split second with Uchiha Itachi meant everything; the difference between winning and loosing. There was something so startlingly similar in his form. It was déjà vu for Sakura. It had taken her 2 days to figure out why. He moved like Sasuke, only deadlier. It was as if being a part of Sasuke's team, watching him move was like watching someone walk, maybe jog at times in comparison to what she witnessed now. Itachi moved at the speed of sound, movements graceful and calculated. Sasuke's form was the beginning of a genius. Itachi's was the end product of years of pushing his limits with room for expansion. Truly he was worth of the title of prodigy and genius.

Itachi wasn't disappointed in her progress. Sakura had gained leaps and bounds as he taught her, taking in everything like a sponge. He pushed her farther, faster, harder. She was intelligent enough to pick up on his hints without having to tell her twice, a fact he appreciated in their training. Itachi couldn't train intelligence. He could train technique form and precision to those who _were _intelligent to start with. He did not go easy on her and to her credit she rose to meet the challenge, head on. She was beginning to pick up on his body movements.

Part of that was simple proximity. They had shared a house, had trained together for fourteen days without ceasing for hours on end at a time. It was only natural that their bodies would become so intuned with each other. They were adjusting to each others movements, reactions and subtle body language. His training sessions with her had cut into their sleep because they simply had too much work to do. He had left her battered and broken, time after time again only to rise and do so the next morning. It helped that she was a medic and could heal her own wounds. It allowed for longer, more intense training sessions that could continue each day without breaking their established routine or stride in her girl had _excellent_ chakra control.

And of course Uchiha Itachi never tired of irritating her. The day he had irritated her the most was when he had criticized her creativity. If she was such a genius, why was she not creating her own battle techniques? She had thought to create medical jutsu but didn't apply the same ability and gumption that she did to her ninjitsu. Sakura hadn't created a battle worthy technique yet and her teammates already had a repertoire of credible techniques based off of the aforementioned moves taught to him by the sannin and their sensei. To say that Sakura had not been pleased was the biggest understatement of his life. She had ended that fight, by cracking a rib. Then she had spent a good portion of her sleep time and research time studying up on jutsu to create something from scratch.

He had been more than satisfied with her creations when she'd finally revealed them. They might have lacked complete ingenuity but she made up for it in style. She was already above anbu class easily when he had first met her. She was steadily on her way to becoming S class in every way under his careful tutelage. And she'd already had the skill developed in her. She just needed to access it, to hone it. She needed for someone to show her the unused potential. But she had never had someone like that. Surely Tsunade passed down her medical techniques and her chakra strength but had never given her the wherewithal to use that knowledge into hardening her as a warrior. It was unforgiveable the way Sakura had been ignored and looked over in light of her other teammates.

And now Itachi needed to break her of the one thing that was holding her back, that had continued to hold her back the entire way from what he had observed of her and knew of her background.

Sakura sat palms opened, knees folded, chi aligned as she meditated besides the Uchiha prodigy. He wanted her to be calm, cool, and collected for what would happen next. Her thoughts drifted to team seven, to the dark haired younger brother of one Uchiha Itachi. And then she thought of one red headed bitch, her replacement on team Hebi. She thought of the images that Itachi had made her see in his genjutsu. Her brow furrowed, she twitched in her meditating and leaned forward, her fingers twitched in a wistful will of desiring to clench her fist, breaking her posture. Biting her lip as her eyes closed and her fists clenched she hated herself.

'You're weak" He told her, lip sneered as he eyed her broken movement.

"W-what?" She said, startled.

"_You're weak_" He repeated.

Sakura had been startled the first time he said it. But after surviving his training for the past few weeks, she didn't have to put up with this. She was not weak. How dare he say something like that to her? He who knew the effect it would have on her. _Shannaro!_ Inner Sakura snarled.

Sakura rose shakily to her feet, rage blaring. "Say it again" She commanded, hardened jade meeting those blood red Sharingan as her fists clenched.

"You're weak!" He said. Itachi blocked the fist and her foot easily as the battle started.

"I. Am. _Not_!" She snarled, smashing the ground, and launching her self at him.

"You _are _weak. You can't even concentrate on your training, mentally or physically because your thoughts are centered on _him_." Itachi said, blocking the taijutsu she launched, while parrying her kunai. He threw her back with a swift kick.

"Shut UP!" She snarled.

Oh she was irritated alright, green eyes flaring, cheeks red, pink eyebrows knit and drawn tautly, knuckles white with her grip of fury, and her clenched jaw. Itachi smiled and pressed his advantage.

"You can't even find it within yourself to hate him for what he did to you. He has made you weak and you still glorify him like some god." Itachi replied.

Green eyes barely widened but Itachi didn't miss her microscopic flinch and launched himself offensively. His kick sent her tumbling into the wall. He followed it up with slamming her shoulders into the rock painfully.

"You're wrong! When he left I finally found the courage to grow strong" Sakura snapped, arms on his as she broke hold after hold.

"To find him. It's _always_ been about him, hasn't it? It's pathetic how you cling to his ghost. You hunger for the fight because she has connection to _him_" Itachi blocked her kick to his groin, and threw her over his shoulder using a basic taijutsu kata.

"No. I want to end it. This." She said trying to kick his feet out from under him and when that failed launching herself up, leaping at him.

"Which means that your strength is still founded on him. The strength that thinks with foolish delusion, that our combined efforts will somehow make this all right. He breaks you still as he did before, only this time from the grave." Itachi replied.

"I. AM . NOT. BROKEN." Sakura screamed, chest heaving from her exertion.

"You _are_ broken and he has broken you, ruined you so that you can see no other than him. It would be funny if it weren't so hollowly wretched and pathetic" Itachi told her firmly.

"Damn you! Shut up! You don't know anything about me, or him." She shrieked, fists and feet flying in fury at him.

Sakura was finally loosing her composure. He was getting to her, breaking down those walls she had erected to try and keep him out. As if he hadn't seen them to start with.

"No, instead of hating the one who did this to you, you direct that rage at me. You project your hurt onto me, thinking that if you simply beat it out it will go away." Itachi said, blocking Taijutsu kata with Taijutsu kata.

"You are his puppet, and when he pulls the strings you dance. But when he cut the strings you lost yourself, again and again. Such a tragic cycle" Itachi told her.

"ITACHI!" She snarled, landing a punch. He smirked evily.

"Your hatred of me is strong, Sakura. But you aren't really angry at me, which is why you fail. Truly you are not strong enough" he said, sending her flying into the wall.

Sakura felt the crack in the rock as she lost her breathe. She crumbled, sliding down the wall. His hold around her neck was loose, but she could not break it as her lungs were choked from withholding her sobs. She didn't have the strength, the stamina or the perseverance. She wilted, eyes filling with tears.

"How.." She murmured, sobbing.

"Your eyes, dear one" He said, thumb brushing across a tear trailing down her cheek. "Your eyes tell me everything I need to know." Itachi told her, sharingan whirling.

"No.." She cried, as he released his grip on her neck. She stumbled into his chest, hands gripping his shirt as she hung her head.

His hand under her chin forced her tear filled eyes to look into his. "He shattered your confidence long ago, didn't he?" He asked her softly, tenderly even.

"No" she denied with a vehement shake of her head as she choked on her sob.

"Ah, I see. You had the kyuubi bearer to help you, didn't you?" He said, reading every emotion and story behind those beautiful verdant eyes.

"But belief in him wasn't enough to make you whole was it, Sakura?" Itachi remarked.

Sakura felt naked, hollow, cracked and broken in front of this man who's eyes saw everything she was.

"Naruto grew strong, didn't he? He believed in himself and you believed in him. Your belief in Naruto kept you from crumbling. From falling. You believed in Naruto, Sakura, but _never_ in yourself. You deluded yourself in your training. You tried to be strong enough to help Naruto, but you never believed that your own strength would save him, did you? Obviously, _You_ weren't enough, were _you_?"

He didn't need her answer because he saw it in those eyes. The truth resounded in the silence between them, ringing hollowly to the broken girl in front of him.

"You lost your self esteem along the way, didn't you? Somewhere between becoming a ninja and loosing the girl who wanted to impress Sasuke, you lost who you really were." Itachi told her.

And those verdant tear filled eyes curved, dangerous as they narrowed at him.

"You _still _don't believe in the power of your strength and that is why you are weak. You do not hate him, the one that broke you." Itachi told her.

"I will not hate him. I cannot." Sakura replied fiercely, firmly as she looked up into Itachi's eyes.

"Then you will not exchange your delusions for reality, Sakura. I cannot, will _not _train you any further unless you start to believe." He said simply.

Sakura's eyes widened, his threat tearing her to the core. She couldn't go after Karin at her current level. She couldn't find out what happened to Sasuke unless they finished.

"Believe what Itachi? You want me to hate, that's hardly my own belief. You ask me to walk your line and I cannot do it. I will not." Sakura replied.

"You have no idea what I ask of you, Sakura" Itachi replied.

"I will not hate him. I wont be like you" Sakura snapped.

"Hatred keeps _me_ alive, Sakura. It keeps me headed down the path I walk."

"The path of darkness." Sakura glared.

"If that is what allows you to sleep better at night, knowing you are on the side of righteousness, or that you think you know my own circumstances, then yes, I suppose it is. Regardless your opinions of what you think you know about me are meaningless." Itachi replied.

"You just want me to believe what _you_ believe. I am not your clone, or your mindless pupil to take every word you say, while begging at your feet." Sakura snapped.

"You think you know what I'm trying to do. For all your strength and training, Sakura, _you_ are the blind one." Itachi told her.

"Then what? What are you trying to do?" Sakura said. "Once again you hold the knowledge loftily over my head and refuse to tell me. Spell it out for me, Itachi. Explain it to me" Sakura demanded.

"For this training to be effective, dearest, you need to believe in the one person that matters." He said, eying her significantly.

"I will not believe in _you_ Itachi." She said. "Hatred is not the answer."

And then he laughed. Itachi laughed and laughed and continued to laugh as Sakura's face drained of understanding. Itachi saw that look and decided to kindly put her out of her muddled misery.

"Hatred is the question, Sakura. You are a fool, like my foolish little brother was." Itachi replied.

"W-what? Why are you laughing at me?" Sakura demanded.

"Because you still don't understand. I suppose I will have to be patient, though it will set us back" Itachi replied as he turned his back on her.

"Itachi! Answer me" Sakura ordered.

"The only one you need to believe in, Sakura, to find the strength to save, is just that"

"I don't understand" She said.

"You." He replied.

The word hit Sakura full force. Sakura sunk to her knees.

………………………………………………

Sakura spent the rest of the day down below in the training hall. Itachi read while he mused on her progress. She had been down there for hours. It was unlikely they would accomplish any more today with her newest break through in progress. The girl had a lot to process through and he wasn't about to let her get away with deluding herself in the future. She wanted his training, and train her he would. He was a harsh task master but he knew what it would take to overcome this. She had to.

She had to overcome this. She had to accept herself, strengths and weaknesses. She couldn't live in a world handicapped by her codependency any longer. As a nukenin she would be ripped to pieces on such needy reliance on others. She was too trusting, too willing to let others carry her burden for her and that was what had gotten her into the mess she was, in the first place. She had to hone herself, to discipline herself. She had to overcome her belief in her own inadequacy, her uselessness. It wasn't that Itachi was being particularly calloused to her. It simply was fact. No nice words, or encouraging statements from him could make her believe that she was worthwhile. She had to decide to overcome that particularly nasty idea herself.

Until she believed she was worthwhile, it was useless training her. It wouldn't help. She would continue to dither around, possibly gain some more strength until her next break down, in which she might start backsliding into what she always became when things became harsh. She would fall into herself and not get back up. She needed to believe in herself. If she didn't, the effectiveness of her moves was cut in half. Already she dragged her feet in their training sessions. Itachi sighed and settled himself down in his research while he waited. Knowing her as he did now, he knew this would not overcome her. Or at least he anticipated that it wouldn't overcome her. Itachi was nothing if not cautious and thorough.

It was quite possible that this issue could swallow her whole and spit her out even worse than before. Definitely possible, given the odds and just how many people had snapped under his training because they simply couldn't take the pressure of it.

Itachi was surprised to find that he didn't think that she would be one of those cases. Even more surprising, Itachi found that he had faith in her. He actually believed in her strength, even if she didn't. The girl was blind to how she affected others. Without her strength many would have perished. She didn't seem to comprehend how she had saved people countless times before. He sighed and returned to his reading. It was her battle not his. He had done all that he could do for her and now the rest was up to her.

Itachi's fist clenched as the scroll he was cross referencing brought up a portion of medical justu, of course leading his train of thought back to the one he was trying to avoid. Itachi was more than slightly irritated. She had been the source of his thoughts for these past weeks. Lately the pink haired medic nin had been straying into his thoughts far too frequently for the Uchiha prodigy's comfort. _Focus_ he ordered himself as he scanned the scroll. He was able to digest and access the information after his own mental rebuke and return to the task at hand. But the corner of his sharingan eye fixated on the entrance to the training hall, without his complete awareness of it as he read.


	22. Identity

AN: Super long chapter that gave me the hardest freaking time. To me this chapter is inconsequential but the concept of it is important to the story line. Ugh. It's entirely and arbitrarily introspective, combing over significant stuff in her life and my betamuse kindly told me I shouldn't get rid of it. So I didn't, because she's my betamuse for reasons that have kept this story alive and kicking up till this point. But I don't personally like the chapter. Don't get me wrong, I'm the introspective kind I just hate having to nit pick with details.

I leave for the island soon where I'll have no internet access for three months = ( it's a bummer but also exciting.

"_Committing yourself is a way of finding out who you are. A man finds his identity by identifying"-Anonymous-_

Who was she? In all actuality Sakura didn't know anymore.

At one point in time, she had decided that defining herself by what people thought of her was a safe idea. It made sense, right? People's definitions were typically what everyone else went by. Or so she thought

She was her father's daughter, the only child in the civilian clan of Haruno. Her mother had been unable to bear anymore children after Sakura's birth. Her mother had narrow hips and a history of difficulty with child birth in the family. Sakura was given every comfort and luxury. She had been everything she was meant to be, except for a girl and a ninja which was _everything_ to her. Her parents enrolled her in the academy with the hopes that she would drop out or loose interest. Most girls her age did when they enrolled and so they humored her. When Sakura had enjoyed her time at class, and aside from the beginning where was mercilessly teased made friends with Ino and began to open up. Then she'd seen Sasuke. She knew, even at her young age that being a ninja was the life for her simply because _he_ was there and she liked him. It was simple. It made sense.

Her father hadn't taken that very well. He wanted his sweet innocent Sakura to grow up and marry and have the life of an ordinary child, not a shinobi. Of course, years down the road she had discovered that her father had always wanted a son. That made perfect sense too. Her good grades were never good enough, her choice of career wasn't good enough. And he had never appreciated her bright pink hair a throw back to his own mother. He had suggested she dye it at one point in her teens, much to her complete mortification. Sakura in an attempt to try and find the love she so desperately sought, had actually considered it. There was nothing Sakura could have done to please him, though she ripped herself apart, trying. It was divine irony from the start.

She had been Ino's best friend before they became rivals over Sasuke. Ino and Sakura had shared everything. It didn't help that Sakura had always been jealous of her former best friend. Confident, bold, sassy, Ino was everything Sakura wasn't at the time. Ino came from a prestigious ninja clan and had a family that absolutely loved her. Her father was ridiculous when it came to the protection and upkeep of his daughter and her skill. Not only was her family ninja but even her family's friends were ninja and so she'd been surrounded by the lifestyle she'd been born into. Ino had always fit, had always had a place.

Because she'd grown up in the village Ino knew most of the kids where Sakura had hardly met anyone when she arrived, too shy to know what to do. Ino had always been made to become a ninja with her family's ability. She had been raised with her natural talent; born with it. Ino had grown up around ninja her entire life and it wasn't a problem for her family to want to become one. It wasn't weird when she attempted to walk on the walls. She didn't terrify her family members because of her incredible skill.

Her father had never thanked her when Sakura had saved his precious fortune being stolen from half rate nin. She had pulverized them giving them the beating of their lifetime. When her father had arrived on the scene, he had frozen, paralyzed as his Sakura had splattered blood across her face from taking out the final nin. Her peaceable father had never seen combat or violence, had never been exposed to something so apparently horrifying. He had looked at her like she was some sort of monster. Not his precious daughter, but a freak. Sakura had moved out of her house, settling for an apartment in Konohagakure then to face that haunting look again. That face haunted her in her dreams, made her wonder what she had become, what she was becoming.

It had been a good decision on her part to move. She had too much work to do with Tsunade Shishou. She simply didn't have time to commute to the village and back every day anymore. That was how she justified her running away. It worked because Sakura didn't, and hadn't had the time to really think it through at that point. She hadn't had the time to mourn, or grieve that loss. She'd simply buried it beneath her cheerful optimistic nature, overlooked it and ignored it. She'd demeaned herself, thinking why should she be upset over it when she wasn't important to begin with?

She had always defined herself by what people had said about her.

When she graduated from the academy, she had become the weakest member of team seven. It was as if the stereotype was born for her. The first time she had met Kakashi sensei, he had flat out told them he hadn't liked them. Her dreams of having a sensei that could encourage and support her were shattered in that instant. Kakashi's half assed introduction, the lazy way he led their team, the favoritism he played with Sasuke all took their toll. The more she trained with him the more he brushed over her in light of the other two.

And of course all she had been looked at was a weak lovesick girl, by Kakashi, by Naruto, by Sai and most assuredly by Sasuke. Certainly she was in love, but she wasn't weak. Sakura had been one of the most intelligent students to graduate. She hadn't liked that distinction and so she had chosen to designate herself as the one in love with Sasuke. She had been the girl who would marry him in her mind. That was why she had become a ninja after all.

Reality shattered that illusion in the forest of death during the chuunin exams. She was playing ninja to get on better footing with Sasuke. Being a ninja wasn't something you could half ass or fake. To be a real ninja, it required everything of you. Love of a boy was a childish thing to think would be enough of a commitment for a lifestyle. Sakura renewed her commitment by coming up with her own nindo; that Sasuke and Naruto would look down on her back. But both of her teammates had been unconscious. Neither of them had witnessed her fated promise, once again Sakura was alone.

Naruto had always wanted acknowledgement from Sasuke. Perhaps that's what she wanted too, without knowing it at the time. Sakura was desperate for for kind words…for love. She wanted someone to acknowledge her existence. She wanted to become strong for her own sake then and there. But then she'd fallen for the illusion again as Sasuke left. She hadn't thought to fight Sasuke as he left. Itachi was right. Sakura hadn't believed in her own strength. Ever. It hadn't even occurred to her to use her own strength to keep him there at that time.

She had let Sasuke go. She was the weakest member of team seven. In what world could she have stopped him? She didn't believe that she could have stopped him. Her ninja skills didn't even register to her at the time because she_ believed_ that she was weak. She could have tried. She should have tried as it would have alerted somebody, perhaps someone who could have made him stay. She should have risked herself for her team as they had promised, as they had been trained. Was that why he had uttered thank you to her? That she hadn't created a scene like she should have? That she hadn't fought him to keep him?

Instead, she had overestimated her worth in his eyes. She thought she could win him over with her words, her sympathy and compassion, her love. She had been so desperate for that. For him, to love her. Sasuke had run from her leaving her crying on a bench. She had turned to Naruto, begged him like the lovesick heart broken girl that she was to bring him back. And the idiot had agreed. He had promised her. And he had failed.

It had torn her apart. She had truly believed in Naruto's strength and he had failed. And what's more Sakura had failed doubly over in trying to extract a promise from a boy who was desperately in love with her that he would do anything to see her happiness. She couldn't blame Naruto when the fault had been hers as well. So she ignored it, she covered over the fact of his failure by trying to assure him that they would do it together, that somehow in some way they would convince Sasuke to come back, by beating him. It had worked in the past right?

Sakura had danced around the fact, trying to make the blonde feel better about the situation. Trying to pretend like it was okay. Naruto wouldn't have any of it. And in typical Naruto fashion he told her he wouldn't go back on his word. As if he could have promised that. She had prompted him to promise that. Sakura had told him they would do it together. And she had felt so relieved when he made the second promise…and so guilty. She should have never put that on his shoulders.

Sakura's heart was tattered in shreds upon Naruto's recovery. They had failed their teammate in the only thing that mattered and failed it by their own very definition of teammates. Those who abandoned their teammates were worse than trash had been embedded on the hearts of all those in team seven. Sasuke had failed them, they had failed him. The truth was somewhere between, but both of them readily shouldered all of the pain, as if it was _only _their fault. The pain was what brought them together.

Then he had disappeared. Naruto had left for three years on his training. Sakura was destitute. He had promised her they would bring Sasuke back. She had looked to Naruto for strength during that time and he had abandoned her. They had to train alone, had to find the strength to save him alone. Naruto had understood that. Sakura hadn't. She had looked to Naruto to find the strength for herself and had been found lacking.

Twice abandoned Sakura had sought Tsunade out. She needed to do something, anything to be useful. Naruto had sought out a sannin, why shouldn't she? It was the only way to get stronger to bring Sasuke back right? So she had become a medic nin. Her skills would only heal Naruto though, the one she relied on to bring him back. Her dreams had been to be a stronger ninja than her two teammates. She wanted them to look at her back.

She had failed herself. Inner Sakura had been right at the grave. She'd lost sight of who she was. She'd never relied on her own strength. All of these years, wasted, because she never thought she had been worthwhile, that she had enough strength in her. In a sense, Sakura had been fed a lie her entire life. She had been told she wasn't good enough. And she had bought into it. Had believed it, deeply, and with conviction.

Itachi had warned her at the beginning that she was far too easily trusting of others words. He was right, so profoundly right, that even from the beginning he saw right through her. She deeply cared what others thought of her and how they perceived her. It was one of the reasons she, at first, had resented Naruto. Sakura had been annoyed at the whisker cheeked brat because secretly she admired him. She had never understood how he could take all of that abuse, all of the mean things the villagers and the children from their academy days and still smile and be a goof. Naruto didn't care what people thought of him, hadn't let those outside perceptions come between him and his goals.

She had never been able to ignore what people thought of her. She had never been able to turn people's insults into her own strength and conviction. She didn't have an overwhelming sense of optimism about the future and certainly not about her own future. Sakura was weak. She had bought into that lie fully. She was worthless, every one said so, and thought that about her, so that obviously made it true. She had never questioned that deeply rooted trait, because she'd never been forced to.

Sakura felt numb, hollow and empty as she stared at her hands. Gods what had she been _doing_ her entire life? How had she functioned in the gray space between what life could be? She had fooled people, fooled herself into trying to get them to think she had grown, she was strong. If they thought it, then, maybe, she could become it. Years spent, wasted, on torturing herself, on trying to become someone else, on trying to rely on someone else to save her.

_The answer is always found within…_Itachi had told her.

Leaving Konoha had been the first thing she had done because she needed to. Even joining Anbu had been at the hopes to attain more power to bring back Sasuke.

Itachi had seen through her lies. Though she wanted to find out who killed Sasuke, it wasn't for Sasuke's sake, it was for her own. He had forced her time and time again to look at the truth within herself. He wasn't perfect, in fact the longer she knew him the more aware she was of his imperfections. But Itachi had never told her what she wanted to hear. He had been nothing but brutally honest with her from the start. Gods he could see right through her, this entire time. He had slowly been bringing her closer to the fact with every conversation, every prompt.

Itachi had been patient with her, all things considered. From the very beginning he had slowly shaped her. At the beginning she had half heartedly challenged him to show her, to train her if he had the nerve to. Apparently Itachi had taken her words at face value and had paid in full, turning her into something useful, strong, and independent. Itachi challenged her. He had never lowered his standards for her, had never pretended to be something he wasn't. Itachi had been honest with her about herself from the start.

Sakura was completely in awe of him. She was indebted to him. He was training her, truly, physically and mentally. He was showing her the weakness inside herself and instead of allowing it, ignoring it, compensating for it, as her teammates had done, Itachi was confronting it. He was calling it as it was, and telling her to get up, wipe the blood off her face and move on. He wanted her to overcome her own personal handicap. Sakura had always had her core within her. Her inner strength. She had always had what she needed to succeed in the first place. That was what he meant when he said her strength would be found within.

She already had the capability. It was her belief in herself, that she was weak and worthless, that was keeping her from gaining true strength. She thought back to each and every conversation. He tried to push her away but it was in self protection. He had told her things about Sasuke that she hadn't been able to see, to truly accept until now. She had fought him tooth and nail the entire way insisting that she knew Sasuke. How could she ever compete with the bond of a brother? She had been his teammate but he certainly hadn't told them much about himself. Sasuke hadn't allowed them to get close to him.

Gods! Her entire life had been founded on Sasuke. And Sakura had lived that lie as well, thinking that except for a few precious moments, her life was perpetually tied to his.

She was able to see clearly, able to realize now. Sakura wanted to become strong for _herself_, and not because of the love of a boy, or to impress anyone, but for her own sake. She wanted to always protect her most precious people with her own hands, never _ever_ wanting to be a burden to those she loved. These were her true wishes…. but she had abandoned those hopes in light of more disillusionment. Sakura found that those dreams were still where she had left them, deeply rooted inside her heart. She wanted to protect herself, and her own precious people. She wanted to be strong, to be _truly_ strong.

In the forest, way back when; when Sakura had finally decided to be a ninja for her own sake, no one had acknowledged her. No one had recognized her strength. Sakura realized it with startling clarity, and a laugh half sob strangled out of her throat. The only one who ever needed to acknowledge it, to see it for what it really was; had been herself. Sasuke wasn't even conscious till the end of Sakura's fight. He never knew, couldn't know her own revelation, at that point. Naruto had never known. Kakashi nor Sai had ever known.

And Sasuke hadn't trusted her, or Naruto.

Sasuke hadn't trusted their strength. That was it. What had ruined it. What had killed team seven. What had hurt her the most. They were a team, precious nakama, and he had never _acted_ like it, from the very beginning. And by his leaving; it merely proved that he didn't trust his team enough to help him. He didn't think they would be able to do it together. He was too jealous of Naruto's progress, too frustrated with the lack of her own progress and his own lack of progress. He didn't even give them the chance to try to find Itachi together. He simply assumed that they weren't cut out for it, that his team would hinder him in the end.

He thought that they would weigh him down, as if she and Naruto had been baggage or weights holding him back. From the get go, he had relied on himself, _never _on the team. Their team had been a joke, held by tenuous bonds at best. And her failure of a sensei didn't have a chance of keeping hold of the fraying ropes of those bonds. Kakashi sensei had never seen strength in her until he had trained her for anbu. Only then had he seen a glimmer of her worth. But it had only been because Naruto had passed the jounin exams that Sakura had considered it. She didn't want to be left behind.

In the beginning she had followed Sasuke's lead, accepting the fact that she was weak. She had accepted her role as a weakling! Naruto had rebelled against that, desperate to prove his own worth against him, to grow stronger to beat him, to show him he wasn't worthless. She had never broken free from that! She had merely accepted her role, a simpering weak excuse for a kunoichi who fancied herself in love with him. And in turn he had never taken her seriously. He had protected her those times in their missions not because he wanted to, but because he felt he had to. Gods, no wonder he'd told her she was annoying so many times. He _was _burdened by her, because she let herself be coddled, taken care of, becoming a _burden_ to her teammates.

Sakura and Naruto had tortured themselves for years, thinking it was their fault that Sasuke had left. And in part it was. Her own weakness, Naruto's own weakness. But it had also been Sasuke's choice, Sasuke's refusal to follow orders, his impatience at wanting power _now_ as opposed to building it. She had bore enough of the blame, refusing to place any of it on Sasuke. It wasn't entirely her fault.

And so Sakura began to entertain her thoughts.

What would have happened if she had fought him…if she had followed the team they'd assembled and she and Naruto had fought Sasuke at the Valley of the end? They would have won. They would have brought Sasuke back. He would have been forced to see their worth. Instead she had sat, and waited, like some weak willed women, looking to Naruto to set things right. Things could not be set right by her own hands. She was too weak. She had bought into the lie that Sasuke had told her was her role. Gods she had been such an idiot, fumbling and bumbling the entire way.

And now what? Sakura felt the tears and she let them fall freely. She had a lot to cry over, and to cry out. And cry out she did. It had been hours since he'd left her down here. She had no idea how long she'd been crying but her lung rattled from her shaky breath and her stomach hurt. Sakura's eyes drooped wearily. It was too much. She had spent too many hours focusing on this, and between the physical and emotional exhaustion, Sakura didn't have anything left. Her body was finally giving in, though her mind was still pondering. Sakura slumped to the floor, as sleep took her unwillingly.

…………………………………….

Verdant eyes blinked, wiping at the saline crusted onto them blearily. She rose and felt the weight of something warm fall off of her. That wasn't right, there shouldn't have been anything _on_ her in the first place. She briefly remembered being cold. She had woken up, more than once from shivering. Blinking and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she gasped as she could finally see clearly, exactly _what _had been keeping her warm. Black and red satiny fabric met her calloused fingertips and she ran them across it's silky expanse. Colors formed in the shape of clouds outlined in white on it's soft expanse. It was an Akatsuki cloak. She glanced in front of her and saw a pile of Onigiri on a tray with a glass of water.

Green eyes softened. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know what to say. There were no other words to describe it really as her stomach did summersaults in her unexpected bliss. It was touching. Itachi had told her that he wouldn't help, that he couldn't interfere. That she had needed to discover this on her own. He was right. She would have relied on him, instead of herself, if he had tried. He would've become her newest crutch and it was well past time that Sakura began walking on her own two feet. And yet he had come down here, while she slept, and given her nourishment and something to keep her warm. Given her his _own_ coat.

Sakura wrapped it around her shoulders, drawing it around herself as she took a deep soothing breathe. It smelled like him, like sandalwood and his own unique outdoor smell, musky but pleasant and soothing nonetheless. It was like he was here. She smiled, beaming in pleasure at the rare display. How many others had he done this for? Had he ever been so kind to someone? Sakura doubted it. She doubted anyone would believe her if she told them the things she had learned about Itachi when she got home.

She grinned as she buttoned the jacket up, to keep away the chill air of what appeared to be early morning. It said something so simple, but so obvious and profound to her. Itachi believed in her. He had told her to figure it out on her own and he was right, that this was her battle and that he couldn't interfere. But he was supporting her. He was helping her in the only way that he could, the only way that spoke volumes to Sakura.

Though he couldn't say it to her face, couldn't promise her anything, wouldn't lead her on to false conclusions, couldn't have her attach herself to him by mistake on her journey to find herself; he believed in her. All of those things only made him rise in her estimation of him, of who Itachi really was buried beneath the layers of disdain. He was keeping his distance, respecting her battle for what it was. He had showed her his belief through his actions towards her. He wouldn't have trained her if he didn't think she could handle it. It would have been a waste of his time for one such as him.

The thought made Sakura's smile widen, simply beaming as she dug in to the food with gusto. She wouldn't let him down. She would find herself, her way. She would complete his training. She would become her own person. And then she would do what she had set out to do, to find out who had killed Sasuke and return the favor.

…………………………………

It had been three days. Itachi had worked his way through translating, categorizing and organizing all of the scrolls he had collected in his travels. He had of course memorized their intricate workings for his own devices later. He had finished working on the scrolls he would take with him on this particular journey and had even gone as far as to make spares in case. All of his weaponry was assembled and in place, sharpened for their deadly use. He had already read through all of the books in this house, even the newest set he had bought recently and added to his bolstering library. Their journey was already planned, arranged and packed for, route memorized and details forethought, after all one could only plan so much until such a mission was actually executed.

He finished the minor projects he had going in the laboratory he had set up and was even pleased with the results of them, cataloging the results for later use. His house was already spotless and immaculate, every book in place, every dish cleaned and ready for use again. Any messages relayed had already been handled, the appropriate contacts dealt with. Itachi had done everything there could be done. How much longer could it take her; would it take her until she had finally discovered the piece she was missing? Itachi had higher expectations of her than this, certainly. Perhaps she wasn't going to be able to do it?

He sighed. It might be a mercy stroke to just kill her now in the process of such an issue then to allow her to suffer through it any longer. After all if she didn't pull through his plans for her had just gone to hell in a hand basket.

Itachi made his way down to the training grounds. Killing her was something he was not looking forward to doing. Half of him wondered if he really could. He brushed that thought off. Of course he could. However, it _was_ a shame to put to death something he had invested so many precocious hours into keeping alive, something he had even built up strength in. Alas, when one's foundation was cracked and shaky to start with, the entire building collapsed in on it. Itachi had known this. Still if anything could stoke a genius's intrigue, it would be a nearly impossible situation. He would pay for his mistake as he did with others; in blood.

_Will it really be so easy to kill Sakura? _His subconscious pointed out.

Itachi promptly circumnavigated the thought.

………………………………………………

"Sakura?" He called out.

She stood, kunai in hand as she looked up at him, Akatsuki cloak drapped around her.

"Itachi san" She replied her back turned to him. "Is it time to go?" She asked.

"…Yes" Itachi replied drawing his own kunai.

Sakura tensed and then her posture relaxed.

"Ah. I see." She replied thoughtfully. She still refused to face him.

"Tell me, Itachi, was this your plan from the beginning? To use me for my information and connections and then end it?" She asked, her throat constricting painfully as she half choked, her grip on her kunai tightening. She wouldn't face him yet. Not until she could her emotions under control.

No, she would not cry. Uchiha Itachi was only ever interested in himself, like every other Uchiha she had ever known.

"I realize you won't believe it, and I rarely waste breath on idle words, however I had hoped you would overcome this." Itachi replied solemnly.

Sakura blinked. He wasn't lying, though she wasn't completely sure she could tell if he was lying or not. But more importantly she could feel his regret.

"I have overcome it." Sakura replied. She took a deep calming breath. He wouldn't attack her while her back was turned to him. She trusted him to give her a fair fight before she died.

"I'm afraid I cannot simply take your word for it, Haruno san." Itachi replied.

"Formalities? Trying to distance yourself, Itachi san?" Sakura asked.

"I have no need to lie to you. Your death serves no purpose, indeed it isn't what I want, but I can tolerate your weakness no longer. I have made enough allowance for it as is." Itachi replied.

"I am weak no longer." Sakura replied. "and I sure as hell won't allow you to take my life so nonchalantly, Itachi." Sakura turned to face him.

Sharingan activated, mangekyou penetrating those bright green eyes as Itachi saw through to her very core. Sakura smirked and broke it, once again the fragments of his genjutsu breaking like mirrors around her eyes as she crouched defensively.

"I will not fall for that trick twice, Itachi. If you want to kill me, you'll have to use something I haven't seen before" Sakura snarled, jade eyes hard and alight with their own inner fire.

Itachi rose from his defensive crouch, and did something that shocked Sakura to her very core. Uchiha Itachi the prodigy of the Uchiha, mass murderor of his clan, S class Akatsuki member, smiled. His grin was malevolent, fierce as he eyed her. Sakura hesitated on that look.

"You have overcome the training." He told her, his tone filled with pride.

"All I had to do was overcome the Mangekyou?" Sakura asked, eyebrow arching as she felt a supremely smug smile tug at the corners of her mouth. She didn't drop her guard or her kunai.

Itachi shook his head and strode forward. "Your eyes, dear one. They always tell, when it comes to you." Itachi told her, caressing her cheek affectionately.

Sakura's brow furrowed and it made Itachi's grin stretch. "And you do not trust me." He said, slowly letting his hands fall so she could see them. He handed her his kunai, placing it gently in her hands. Sakura took it, and eyed him, green eyes searching deep within his Sharingan. Her eyes asked the unanswered questions searching his.

"I will not attack you, Sakura. I have no need to, as you will be a valuable asset" Itachi told her, eyes never wavering from hers.

Sakura was satisfied with the depth she saw in those red eyes and returned her kunai to her pouch.

"Now we must prepare" Itachi told her.


	23. Bait

AN: I've been a little bit too preoccupied with Pretense. I just want to finish it so I can focus on other projects. I need to feel motivated to work on my other fics but I'm finding myself severely lacking.

In other news: I've come to the horrifying conclusion that I actually like Karin. Why? Because she is what she is meant to be. She lusts, she lives, and she fills her plot purpose. She's designed to make you hate her, but she's always on her own side even if she's biased. I suppose a better reason is that she isn't trying to be what she's not. She is. And that is enough.

And since I seem to be giving every female character in Naruto a healthy dose of independence, she's next on the list. She may be a fan girl, but she's her own person and she travels with hebi for convenience sake. Hell if I could stare at Sasuke's ass all day I might too! Hehe… Ahem… That is my interpretation, so if you don't like it, go write your own fic and bash her. And _Kindly_ remember fans, that Sakura, Ino, and Hinata started as Karin did; as worthless fan girls. One should never forget their roots.

_"__But for every man there exists a __bait__ which he cannot resist swallowing.__" -__Friedrich Nietzsche- _

Karin smirked at the hiss of pain from one of her most recent test subjects as she drew his precious life fluid out with the medical needle she kept handy. It wasn't exactly her fault per say. _He _had left her nearly three months ago in this little rut of a village without any specific instruction before his untimely demise. It was little surprising, really. After all, research was her specialty. It was the reason why Orochimaru had enlisted her, it being among her S class talents in the first place. One couldn't necessarily blame her for returning to pond she'd grown up in.

_While the Cat's away, the mice will play_ she thought, with a wicked grin, pushing her glasses up on her nose as she mixed the blood in the test tube, awaiting the results. Nothing. Damn.

Having nothing better to do with her time, Karin had decided to work on the cursed seal project. It had been a scientific blunder of Orochimaru's to even attempt it, but the crazy old coot refused to let it go. He'd bred a hundred thousand deformed monsters before finally reaching something remotely_ closer_ to stable. But anyone subjected to the cursed seal was still fucked up by any measure. All of those wasted attempts, inbred invalid things, which were more creature than man. Karin had been working on the project for years. When she'd become a member of Hebi, her beloved Sasuke kun had enlisted the help of the origin of the cursed seal, one orange haired Juugo. With both of them bearing the seal, it suddenly became worth investing much more of her time in continuing to research it. It didn't hurt that she had ample research data on hand. It had kept her with team Hebi when she could have walked away.

Karin had samples of Juugo's blood as well as Sasuke kun's and with nothing left to do, she decided to pick up where she left off on her research. Juugo had originally come to Orochimaru seeking a cure. Orochimaru, being the creepy bastard that he was, had simply used Juugo as another one of his test subjects, taking from him what he needed, and locking him up when he had no further use. Karin needed to find a way to suppress the seal. Wherever Juugo was, basically wherever Sasuke had dumped him last, he was hiding, somewhere far away from people, more than likely terrified that he would loose himself again.

He had been so gentle. Karin wasn't the type for charity though. Juugo was dangerous and really she was doing herse,lf a favor in the long run. She couldn't have him turning on her with his monstrous power and so her research had been justified. And with Sasuke kun having had the seal as well, it clearly had been worth her efforts. She still wasn't entirely sure she believed the rumors of his death, but it didn't matter. She had things to do and enough research to keep her busy until she could find out the truth herself. Perhaps this was cold and calloused of her, but hell if Sasuke wouldn't have done the same damn thing in her shoes.

And to be honest, Karin was still a little bitter that the bastard had dumped her, left her stranded in the middle of the goddamn forest in fucking nowhere's ville. It served him right that he had died, without the proper support of the team _he_ had formed for _support_ in the very first place. _Talk about tragically ironic_ she thought with a derisive snort. Then again, what Uchiha wasn't? She felt a chill run up her spine as she thought of the elder Uchiha. Karin scoughed at her self. She was being ridiculously superstitious. What could the elder Uchiha prodigy ever want with someone like her? No, even if Sasuke was dead, he could rot in the ground for a little bit longer and think about his actions whilst she finished up her work here.

She huffed, the subject of the raven haired Uchiha irritating her. Karin pushed her glasses up again, throwing her red mane of spiky hair over her shoulder, as she returned to her work. She scribbled, jotting down her notes tersely, whilst her test subject lay chained and semi conscious. Karin had hunted down a few of the miscreant mutations for testing, with a little help. Distracted, the chakra signature didn't even register to her, as said 'help' kicked open the metal door to her makeshift laboratory.

The door hurtled open, startling the red head from her work as she turned, eyebrows twitching and face drawn at the person who stood at the door.

"Fuck…this one's heavy." One white haired ex mist nin complained as he slammed the door shut behind him with a bang, dropping the body to the floor with a thud.

Karin rolled her eyes, seething at the white haired bastard. "Why Sasuke kun _ever_ left me with an incompetent like you, is simply unforgivable."

"Love you too, Bitch." Suigetsu drawled, teeth gleaming sharply in his sarcastic smile.

"Fuck off, You slimy cretin! I've got more important things to be doing than wasting my time on you" Karin replied with an appropriate gesture. Suigetsu smirked.

"Not without you, Bitch" Suigetsu retorted, and Karin really got her panties in a twist then. Blood vessels blaring she was about to give him the bitch rant of his life when he cut her off.

"Let's be clear, _You_ don't get to talk to me like that. You know why?" Suigetsu told her, eyes alight with fighting lust.

"Hmph. Like I care. If it wasn't for the memory of Sasuke kun-" Karin yowled, hand on her medical scalpel.

"Seriously, just shut _up_ already about him!" Suigetsu exclaimed. "The _only_ reason I'm not gutting you here and now sure as _hell _isn't because of your _precious _Sasuke kun." Suigetsu replied pale eyes sparkling dangerously.

"Oh this is amusing." Karin snapped. "Do pray tell, Mizu boy, why exactly I'm alive by your good graces then?" She quipped, sarcasm dripping from her tone as she crossed her arms across her chest, glaring.

"You're alive, Bitch, because you're doing research for Juugo who's gonna help me hunt down and kill that sword carrying shark bastard and I'm a compassionate son of a bitch. So be_ very_ careful what you say to me" Suigetsu smirked, using a towel to clean off his bloodied blade staring at her pointedly.

"Moron. It's you who's talking out of place here. You couldn't _handle _Juugo without _my_ help, so don't you forget it, if you expect me to continue my research" Karin replied tuning as she bent to jot down more notes.

She missed the amused look, his eyes following her movement whilst she worked as his arm tightened on his sword.

"Don't kid yourself. I can take Juugo any day. I could have taken Sasuke had I wanted to. But it's like I said, I'm a compassionate son of a bitch" Suigetsu grinned.

Karin crinkled her nose at the smell coming from unconscious form near the door way. With another hmph towards her unwanted help, she moved to collect her newest test subject…and saw the red puddle spreading across the concrete floor.

"AHG!" She wailed as she checked his vitals. "You IDIOT! You nearly killed him!" She stamped her booted foot indignantly.

"You get what you pay for" Suigetsu replied with a shrug and a smirk. "I'm gonna go eat something. Have fun with your newest toy" Suigetsu said, taking the stairs up to the simpleton cottage they were calling a home for the time being.

"Asshole" Karin scowled at his retreating form.

It was then that she heard the explosion, and saw Suigetsu blown backwards with a curse. Karin's eyes widened and without hesitation, she launched herself forward retreating further into the depths of the laboratory.

………………………………………………..

"Ouch…shit!" Suigetsu cursed, rubbing his head as he looked up. Into the eyes of one Uchiha prodigy.

"Holy fu-You're Uchiha Itachi!" His grin widened, sharp teeth gleaming

"Where's you're partner?" Suigetsu leered, swinging his massive sword in a wide arc forcing the Akatsuki Sharingan bearer back as he looked around for the shark man that was always close by this man.

"Right here" Sakura replied, gloved fist slamming into his face, sending the white haired man flying.

He tumbled, and took the brunt of the impact on his collar bone, trying to drive his sword into the ground to keep him from smashing through the wall. It didn't save him. The wall crashed, the top room of the house falling on top of that.

"We need them alive" Itachi told her, sharingan whirling.

Sakura shrugged "If he went down from just that-" Sakura flickered out as she dodged the sword.

"He's yours." Itachi replied, disappearing.

"Hey! Itachi, Wait-" Sakura protested, reaching out, but Itachi was gone.

A hand grabbed her ankle and launched her, spinning into the wall. Sakura, used to this sort of treatment from her spars with Naruto and Chouji, recovered. Spinning midair, she managed to turn her body, heel connecting with the wall, and landed deftly in a crouch.

"Sweetheart you've got quite the touch." He said rubbing his chin with a maniacal grin.

Jade eyes didn't blink, flinch or budge. The intensity of them worried the water nin. He was used to irritating those he would fight, making them over compensate. Suddenly wondering if he had bitten off more than he could proverbally chew, Suigetsu moved on.

"But you're gonna need all of your concentration if you want to fight me!" Suigetsu told her, sword whittling over her head, smashing the wall behind her as she ducked and dodged and tumbled the blade whittling over her head. He had to give her credit she was a bendy bubble gum haired bitch.

The building gave a warning creak and groan. Sakura frowned. He was alarmingly fast with his sword, though it had seemed so cumbersome from her first glance. It just went to show her that she couldn't let her guard down. She launched kunai, testing his defenses as she formulated her plan.

"I'm insulted, Pinky" Suigetsu said, twirling the sword easily, parrying them as he lashed out with lightning speed. Sakura's pink hairs fell, frozen as her eyes widened. He had nearly taken her head with that blow.

"Yeah I was toying with you, wanted to see what you could do. I'm disappointed." Suigetsu replied.

"Chee" Sakura replied, green eyes narrowing. "You weren't the only one" She replied, disappearing in a poof of ninja smoke.

Her real foot connected with the right side of his face, stinging like hell as he took hit after hit from the fiery little nin. A hit that was only supposed to stung, cracked, and hurt like he'd been hit by th side of a mountain. Holy hell…. she was lining her blows with chakra. The control necessary for such a move was insanity. His cheek instantly broke, and he rolled with the kick for to try and meet her impact head on would splatter his brains all over her pretty little hands. She was feisty and her hits were lined with power housed chakra.

"Impressive Taijutsu. But it wont be enough" Suigetsu told her, launching water jutsu. He preferred his sword, but he wanted to see how she would react and what other jutsu the little kunoichi had up her sleeve.

Sakura countered with earth jutsu, launching exploding tags at him while she tumbled, the protruding rocks breaking through the surface of the ground, forcing the sword bearing mist nin to jump to avoid them. He slashed with the sword he had switched to, deciding he was outclassed by her Jutsu. _Smart man_ she thought with a smirk.

Only then his eyes took on a malevolent lilt as charged chakra came whittling to her. Shit! She tumbled clumsily. Damn she had underestimated him. The sheer power resonating through his blade was enough to kill her should she stop for even a moment. The hole in the blade was unique, lightening the steel and allowed for wind and even water to be channeled and furthermore enhanced through it. Damn. Sakura was no swordsman. She was a close range and far range fighter and a medic. This man was a Naruto, a powerhouse close range specialist with his massive sword.

"Of course. A Mist nin" Sakura said with an exasperated breath.

"You got it, Pinky." Suigetsu winked. "I think it's time we stopped messing around" He said, vanishing in a puddle.

He had sneaked up behind her, his cold fingers around her neck before Sakura could get the kunai into his jugular. He wrenched the kunai from her hand and Sakura gasped, his grip tightening. He had her by her neck, choking her as she grit her teeth, trying to claw his hands away from her.

"I…agree" She said, her clone poofing out of existence.

Suigetsu's eyes narrowed, and then he grinned a malicious offset grin as he felt the explosion. The stairway to the basement blew up, caving the house in as the charges attached to the clone detonated. Suigetsu fell to the floor unconscious.

Jade eyes, ever cautious eyed the man. A quick chakra delving, noted that he was indeed, alive, and unconscious. He would live, though unless he found a healer he would find himself in a great deal of pain for a while. Jade eyes narrowed as they honed in on the familiar chakra signature. She locked on to her next target disappearing in a swirl of wind and leaves.

………………………………………………………

Karin booked it, leaping over tables not pausing for a second. She'd thought one dark brooding Uchiha was bad enough but there was no way in hell she was going to deal with _this_ one. No way in hell. She owed Sasuke something, but not enough to deal with _him!_ Why the hell was he even after her anyways? Didn't matter. She wasn't going to stick along for the mass Uchiha murderor to tell her. Sprinting using her chakra to enhance her speed she leapt over the table, vaulting over chunks of roofing that had fallen in. Shit. Shit. Shit! She could sense him coming and speeded up further as she stumbled for the exit.

She saw the ravens in the air and shrieked, trying to escape. They circled and pecked at her, drawing blood as she was forced back. There was something sinister in their red eyes, something purely malevolent at her blood on their beaks. She cried her rage about to summon her own arsenal, when an aura of red chakra surrounded her. She shielded her eyes against the flapping wings.

When Karin looked up, Red Mangekyou met her eyes and Karin gasped, stumbled backwards in shock. Those eyes were so hauntingly familiar, yet cold, as distant as the stars in the sky. She looked up on one Uchiha Itachi, the Akatsuki Uchiha prodigy. The man who had made anbu at age 13, the man who had simultaneously murdered his entire clan, except for one little brother. One of the only men Orochimaru had been afraid of. Karin only faltered for a second and then a playful coy smirk slid to her features as she fluffed her hair, hands on her hips, confidence back.

"So you're the other one" She said with a sultry laugh. "I was wondering when I'd have the honor of making your acquaintance."

Uchiha Itachi said nothing, merely staring at the women.

"Karin" She said holding her hand out.

Itachi's eyebrow quirked and suddenly Karin felt his hand around her wrist tighten painfully as he forced her back towards the wall, pressing his advantage. She gasped, the pain was excruciating. She stumbled forwards, hoping to throw him off balance but he merely twisted anticipating her movements. With desperation she reached into a hidden pocket on her shorts for a kunai but was stopped by the feel of her own blood dribbling down her neck. Giving a shuddering breathe, Karin stopped her movements, glaring red eyes fury at the Sharingan user. The kunai at her neck sliced a decent gash as the clone in front of her dissipated with ravens.

"I am aware of your abilities and your limitations as well." Itachi said simply.

Karin choked, as he had managed to get behind her, gripping her harshly. She spun, trying to wrestle his grip off of her which only made Itachi pull her that much closer, nearly choking her as his grip tightened on her neck with one hand, and held her hands behind her back with his other.

"Shall I use the Mangekyou?" He murmured, lilting tenor harsh sounding in her ear.

Karin grew limp. "What do you want?" she asked, trying not to stammer. She would not show weakness to this man.

Itachi's dark smirk slid across his features.

"You were my brother's lackey. Where is he?" Itachi said.

Karin's eyes widened. "Lackey- Chee-W-wait a minute! You're telling me you haven't heard about your brother's untimely demise?" She exclaimed.

"Speak" He ordered. Misleading her might prompt her to be more accommodating in regards to the extent of her information.

"I find it hard to believe that you don't know this, but Sasuke is dead. Whatever sick twisted revenge you planned is over!" Karin growled.

Itachi paused for effect. She hmphed and tried to move away. Itachi placed forceful pressure to remind herself of her situation and she stilled under his touch.

"How?" Itachi demanded.

"Hell if I know. It was circulating around the entirety of the ninja world. Why ask me?" Karin snorted.

Itachi released her, and she stumbled forward, nearly falling. Turning, she glared malevolently at the raven haired Uchiha prodigy, noting the similarities between the two brothers.

"I find it hard to believe that Sasuke would form a competent team and abandon them." Itachi replied as he eyed her, dissecting her with those cold calculating Sharingan.

"Believe it buddy. That asshole left me here with Suigetsu while he and Juugo went on. I heard about his death from my lab here." Karin replied.

"Where was he going?" Itachi asked her.

"Why should I tell you?" Karin retorted.

And then Itachi smiled. It was a twisted sick smile, one that would haunt Karin in her darkest nightmares.

"You will tell me one way or another Kunoichi. Keep in mind, that what little Orochimaru gained in light of interrogation, was from _me_"

Karin swallowed, her mouth gone dry. She had seen Orochimaru…she had witnessed what he had done. She felt cold, numb under such a hostile gaze.

"Y-you're not going to intimidate me" She stammered.

And suddenly Itachi switched his tactics. The clone behind Karin dissipated in a wing of ravens. His other clones watched. Itachi stalked her predatorily, grabbing her wrists with lightning efficiency, pinning her to the wall, slamming her head against it in his haste.

Karin gasped, pain exploding in her head as she was met eye to eye with those piercing Sharingan…sharingan that were exactly like his. Her lip trembled and the memories of Sasuke overwhelmed her in that moment. Tears filled her eyes though she tried to push them back. She couldn't help it. The resemblance was there, though the two were like night and day to each other. He was so much like him.

"Why do you want to know?" Karin asked in a small voice.

"Because it has fallen on me, to avenge him." Itachi said, lilting tenor tone hardening as his eyes took on the glint of crimson steel.

Karin expected to see mocking disdain in those crimson orbs. She expected a lie. When she was struck with sincerity and fierce resolve, she choked. Could she trust him? Was he serious? Did she have a choice? Hanging her head Karin realized that it would be far more painful if she didn't cooperate. And she couldn't protect a dead man.

"South west was the direction he took off. I don't know if he stayed the same direction but he was running pretty fast." She replied softly as tears streamed down her cheek.

"You will take me as far as you sensed him." Itachi ordered, releasing her.

Piercing red Sharingan took in the look of malevolent jade fury.

"Sakura" Itachi acknowledged.

"Can I talk to you for a second? In private?" Sakura pressed, eyeing Karin distastefully.

"Sakura? Ah, so you're the medic." Karin said, smirking, hands on her hips as she glared at her rival. So this was the girl who had tried for Sasuke's affections and failed.

The girl stiffened, refusing to acknowledge her verbally, but it only made Karin more smug.

"He mentioned you in passing of course. Dismissively, if you get the picture." Karin said with a leering grin.

She tilted her head fractionally, but Karin didn't miss the tension in her shoulders, the visible movement of what had to be her jaw tighten, her fists ball up and clench.

Itachi placed Karin under a genjutsu quickly and effectively. The girl didn't even appear to notice the difference.

"Speak" He ordered.

"Why the hell are we taking her with us? She's told us all she knows. She'll be unnecessary baggage. I thought you liked to be subtle" Sakura snarled pointing at the zoned out kunoichi.

"Because we are not the only ones searching for her. In some cases, it is necessary to abandon subtley. Without risk there is no gain. We will draw out other nin, possibly with more information on Sasuke by keeping her with us" Itachi replied.

Sakura scowled, not liking his brilliant tactic in the least.

"Will you still defy me?" Itachi asked, eyebrow quirking.

Sakura's scowl deepened and she drew near him, drawing herself to her full height she looked into those Blood red Sharingan.

"It's a brilliant plan. But remember, it was your plan when it backfires" Sakura warned, finger poking into his chest.

Jade eyes locked onto his face, the forest green orbs falling upon his lips.

Itachi smirked, and pulled her in, kissing her harshly. Gloved hands tangled into his hair as she melded against him eagerly. His tongue loitered in her mouth, lingered, tasting her sweetness as he released her reluctantly.

"_Tease_" She added playfully. The smile was in the gleam and glow of her eyes, and tugged at the corners of those soft lips. "Some day I'm going to make you finish what you start." She added.

Both of them were surprised by her forwardness, by the almost companion like behavior between the two. For one, this, she, in all of her optimism and budding beauty…it simply wasn't something Itachi had planned. How could he have ever forseen such a forbidden alliance? How could anyone have seen that two people from completely different worlds, sides, perspectives would come together in such a way? Much less the trust that had come through their progression.

Itachi was an excellent planner. When he formulated plans he liked to see them through. However, in every mission, there was always contingencies. There were things that came up that could not be avoided, maneuvered around or put aside. Plans were created with the hope that they would be followed, used in the course of difficult decision making. But plans could be changed, updated as the situation depended on it. And if he were honest, Sakura had been such a contingency from the start. He found he wanted to continue to monitor her progress, after all, if she had grown this much, leaps and bounds, in such a short time, what would she look like in the future? He found that he wanted to be a part of that process for as long as he could.

It was problematic. Extremely complicated in an already hairline delicate situation. Pein was not someone easily swayed, distracted or hindered from the plans formulated. And he was supposed to follow the orders given him without complaint or comment. She was supposed to die and by his hands no less. But the solution was simple enough. He had to make her credible enough to be desired by Akatsuki as opposed to eliminated. She was certainly well on her way, a missing ninja already. It would take so little to push her over the edge. She had willingly walked away from Konoha…and for him no less. Certainly that spoke to her loosening attachments for the superficial material ninja world?

It wasn't just that she worked well with him. She was certainly skilled, intelligent, and truly innocent, naïve in every sense of the word. It was all of this combination and more that drew him. The growing attraction between the two was something he couldn't ignore, and surprisingly he found he didn't want to ignore any longer. If this was surprising, Itachi supposed that he had always dealt with issues head on, directly when they couldn't be avoided. This issue was unresolved and he was anything but in-efficient when it came to conflict management.

"I look forward to that day" Itachi said, surprising himself by his sincerity. He grabbed her hand, kissing it swiftly, impulsively.

Sakura blushed, that pretty blooming blush of hers that lit up her eyes, and walked away. Perhaps he had been a bit too forward, but he had liked the look in her eyes and the shock that had passed between them. He let her go. He had given her more than enough to think about. Sakura being practical was probably going to think through what had been said and to begin searching for supplies they could use. Itachi smirked darkly, pleased by her reaction. She hadn't rejected him instantly which meant she wasn't repulsed by him, or by his advances.

Satisfied that she was, Itachi turned back to the subject matter at hand, dispelled the genjutsu. Karin fell forward, trembling.

"You know my power for what it is. Get up." Itachi ordered.


	24. Loss

AN: Starting a new chapter is always so intimidating. I never know where to start or go from. So here we go. Hopefully there will be more plot revealed, but I never know till it's done.

Akahoshi is totally something I pulled out of nowhere. If it makes you feel better we can say that its the field that Dei and Sasuke fought on but I didn't have internet at the time to reference the name of the place they were at.

Also apologies to Karin fans, but I think Karin would make it as miserable a trip as possible for Sakura and Itachi, thus Sakura's low opinion of her.

_"There is no comparison between that which is lost by not succeeding and that lost by not trying" -Francis Bacon-_

Sakura's green eye twitched for the umpteenth time that day, vessels straining from overstimulation. Her forehead hurt from the blood vessels blaring there whenever Karin opened her mouth. Fists clenched, white knuckles clear if it weren't for black gloves that shielded them from view. But if one missed the hands, they could never mistake that tight clench in her jaw, the sound of her teeth grinding against one another. If she had to hear one more yowl of complaint from the red haired bitch she was going to squeeze until she splattered this girls brains all over the forest. Grinding her teeth further, probably ruining the enamel, she pressed on, following after Itachi. Sakura was soaking wet from the rain, muddy from traversing the rainy, muddy countryside marshes and exhausted.

Sakura supposed she should have felt some inkling of compassion, after all they were S class missing nin and Karin was merely a lab ninja, unused to travel for extended periods of time. The girl had spent a year holed up in that shack. Hell, Sakura doubted the girl had ever seen a forest, much less traversed across the country. The way she bitched about everything you'd think she'd never been a real ninja, Sakura huffed. Inner Sakura shouted her encouragement as they paused, and Sakura took some deep cleansing breaths, crouching as she rested.

"We'll stop here for the night" Itachi told her. Sakura eyed the wet soggy marshland, filled with fog and mud. She felt the eye twitch again. Was he _insane_?

"It will be harder to track us here. We have the tactical advantage."

"We also wont sleep." Sakura retorted with a snort.

"What Pinky? Afraid to get your hands dirty?" Karin snapped.

Pink brows drew together in angry lines as Sakura stepped forward. "Would you like to see how dirty my hands can ge-" Itachi stopped her, barring her path.

"Don't." He told her.

"You always do what Itachi tells you, Sakura chan?" Karin replied, hands on her hips in a smirk. Sakura practically snarled as she stepped forward. Itachi's arm on hers brought her back to reality.

"Don't be baited so easily." Itachi told her disapprovingly. Sakura's eyes narrowed and she stormed off muttering something about food or firewood.

Itachi let it go. Sakura needed to cool down after being prodded by Orochimaru's assistant all day. Karin had hounded her, persistent in her taunts. Sakura was foolish to let the girl get to her, to show her emotions so freely. Karin was winning, keeping Sakura on edge, twisted tightly and ready to snap. Karin could escape if Sakura exploded. Or worse, Karin might get what was amply coming to her for Karin didn't quite seem to understand that Sakura was completely capable of snapping the girl over her knee. Or perhaps the girl was counting on him interfering and keeping Sakura from killing him. The girl was good at manipulation, he'd give her that. But Itachi would not be prodded in such a childish manner, and he was half tempted to let the two go at it, at least Sakura would be in a better mood.

_No,_ he told himself. Sakura would show no mercy and kill her, and they would have no lure to discover more about his brother's untimely death. What Sakura failed to realize is that Sasuke had abandoned Karin, and the rest of his fledgling team along with her. That Karin probably meant little to his foolish little brother, but that Sakura and the Kyuubi had wormed their way deeper, in proof that he hadn't killed them while he lived though he had ample oppurtunity to. And as much as Karin talked, that she had been abandoned sooner, with less finesse than his brother's abrupt departure of Konoha. As much as his little brother had tried to distance himself, he was never a master of his emotions, like Itachi.

And yet the same girl was here, with him. Had wormed her way beneath _his _cold surface. Had proven her worth time and time again. It never ceased to amaze him, to frustrate him, if he were honest, Sakura's true power. She inspired people to protect her, she gathered strong people to herself, to her cause not because of the strength of her physically but the inner strength, the emotional strength to be weak. It was something about her that attracted that drew others in. Perhaps it was her openness, her desperation about being needed, Her raw honesty. Itachi shook his head. The girl would never understand how valuable she was, how invaluable her worth in that case. She brought out the strength in others, even if she couldn't always bring out the strength in herself.

He eyed her form until it disappeared, satisfied that he could still feel her chakra beneath the cloak she had on it. Turning he regarded the red head that sat beneath a tree, the only dry portion of the marsh she could find.

"What?" Karin retorted, pushing her glasses up as she glared at the mass Uchiha Murderor.

"You would be wise to desist in your provocation of the Hokage's apprentice." Itachi told her simply.

"Or what?" Karin asked, trying to sound brave and faltering. "What? are you going to do something about it?" She pressed, trying to prove her bravada.

The aura around the Uchiha grew darker if more possible. Power radiated off of him and non of it reassuring. She felt his chakra surge and flinched. Sharingan tomoe whirled deep within the crimson orbs.

"I can promise you, that you will not enjoy the consequences." Itachi replied over his shoulder as he turned and jumped into the trees. Karin gulped.

…..........................................

Sakura scowled, angry at herself. She shouldn't have let Karin get to her so. Itachi's dissapointment weighed heavily on her already dragging shoulders. She knew better. She was a better ninja than this. She shouldn't allow the girl to trod on her. After all, she was a half rate nin compared to what Sakura had achieved at this point. There was no competition between them. There was no logical reason for Sakura to feel threatened by the girl, no real standing for such animosity to occur between them. Why was Itachi's opinion so important anyways? Sakura huffed, irritated. He was....

She sighed. Itachi was Itachi. There simply weren't words, no words in Sakura's extended vocabulary that would fully complete the picture of the oldest Uchiha heir. A picture she still didn't understand. Itachi... He was important to her. That was the only thing she could say, could think of when she thought of him. Perhaps it was her talent of loving those who were hardest to love. Love...Sakura's eyes stung. She _couldn't_ love him. It simply wasn't allowed. They were partners for convenience, aligned until they could solve Sasuke's death. And then what?

Sakura snorted at herself, swallowing her tears, and wiping her eyes desperately. You didn't ride off into the sunset with a traitor to your country. And if she were honest, there would be no happy ending here. She had betrayed her country as well. There wasn't all that many options now. The real question was; was it worth it? Had all of her pain, all of her suffering, everything she had gained and sacrificed to get to this point now. Was it worth it? Sakura's eyes glowed. Yes. Yes she couldn't regret what she had done. She had come this far. Looking back did no good now. She could only press forward, putting one foot in front of the other.

Itachi was with her now. Sakura would do what she had never done before. Sakura would live in the moment. She would enjoy what she had as opposed to thinking forward or looking to the past to guide her. She would live in the present and enjoy what was still there, he was still there by her side and Sakura wasn't going to miss it. Tomorrow would worry for itself.

Feeling infinitely better, Sakura returned to the camp.

"I have been summoned. I will return shortly." Itachi told her.

Sakura tensed. Leader sama....Akatsuki...How easy it was to forget that Itachi belonged to the S class organization of missing nin that was trying to destroy everything Konoha stood for, to take her best friend and murder him for his jinchuuriki, stealing his demon and leaving his corpse. She swallowed, covering her choke with a cough.

"A-alright" She said, refusing to meet his eyes.

Itachi stared at the girl. Something was obviously wrong, but the girl couldn't have worse timing; he could not refuse a summons.

Uncaring of his audience, for Uchiha Itachi did what he wanted, with no though to others perceptions of him, he tucked a strand of pink behind her ear, hand lingering on her cheek. Sakura looked up startled, verdant eyes searching his own.

"I will not be long. Watch her." He ordered though there was a tenderness, a lack of some of the cold aloofness in his eyes.

Sakura's green eyes widened. He was trusting her. He was trusting her with Karin. Trusting her with something important to him, important to them and their search. And Sakura swallowed, nodding as her eyes hardened with determination. Itachi eyed the transformation in the mere slip of a girl. Here was the kunoichi, the strength she already possessed, flowing into her veins. Itachi felt the briefest of smiles tugging at his lips as he eyed her, and nodded, approvingly. He disappeared, leaving only the fog and the cold muck that sucked at her boots beneath her. Sighing, Sakura set up a perimeter laying her traps.

"Idiot" Karin taunted. "As if anyone would miss those." The girl said from her semi dry spot under a tree.

"Chee" Sakura snorted in return. "You would fall for it." She replied with a grin as she finished.

"I'd never fall for something so elementary." Karin replied, pushing her glasses up on her face. She must be freezing in those shorts. Sakura smirked, longsleeve beneath her vest keeping the worst of the cold and wet out.

"We'll never know, will we?" Sakura returned, finishing her work.

It was basic but Sakura didn't need much warning, senses sharp. Besides the girl wouldn't benefit from anyone coming without warning. She was in as much danger as Sakura was, if they were honest. It was then, that Karin's senses triggered.

"Fuck."She muttered.

"What?" Sakura replied, having heard the muttered reply.

"It's_ him_..." She replied, eyes red and large with worry.

….....................................................................

Itachi reached the top of the cliff, answering the summons through his ring.

"Yes, Leader sama" Itachi replied, bowing low.

"You have not reported in for weeks, Itachi" The flickering shadow of the Leader appeared before him.

"Forgive me, but the circumstances did not allow-" Itachi began

"Spare me." Leader sama replied, Rinnegan piercing. "You made no mention that you were taking Orochimaru's lab rat into custody." He snapped.

"How else was I to discover the truth of the matter, but to take the teammates he abandoned before the incident leading to his death?" Itachi replied.

"She was not to be touched. We had other plans for her, and you have interceded into another operation." Leader's voice was condemning.

"I meant no disrespect to the organization" Itachi replied. "But I didn't think personal affairs needed such clearance" Itachi retorted.

"Precisely, Itachi. You did not _think_." Pein's eyes narrowed. "This is a matter for the organization, not your own individual pursuits. Your orders were to keep me informed on your conclusions, not to make plans of your own. Your actions were unacceptable."

"And what of the medic nin?" Itachi asked.

"So you mean to explain that she is not dead. Are my orders to be so callously tossed aside?" Pein answered coldly.

"Your orders were to kill her once her usefulness _ended_. I submit to you that without her I would not have as much information as I do now. She has yet to be a hindrance to discovering my brother's death. I still have need of her for her medical knowledge." Itachi replied.

"Her death was already supposed to be carried out. Her usefulness to the organization has ended thus her usefulness has ended. She will be killed, and the Karin girl will be retrieved by an alias and you will be punished in the aftermath of the incident."

"No." Itachi replied coldly, defiantly.

Pein regarded him in surprise.

"I still need the teammate of my late brother. She has ties to the Kyuubi, as well as access to the Konoha records. She is valuable still for her medical skills and her ties to the Hokage. She is, at the least a powerful bargaining chip against Konoha. She has surpassed the Hokage in her medical knowledge. Certainly that in and of itself, is useful to the organization?" Itachi replied.

Leader sama paused. The Uchiha was always respectful, had never been this outspoken about anyone or anything much less a girl. The girl was having an effect on him, whether he realized it or not. Perhaps the cold hearted Uchiha had found his match in the mere slip of a girl? This was convenient as he had been getting out of hand as of late. If making the Uchiha bend to Akatsuki's will had been so easy he would have done this before. For Pein needed a trump card, a hold over the Uchiha and this girl might be that pawn, that card that he sought. If so, then she was worth her weight in steel.

"I will consider it. But Karin will be retrieved." Pein replied.

"Not before I get the information from her I seek." Itachi replied, eyes narrowed. "Certainly we could collaborate, if it is an alias?" Itachi asked.

"You will operate as you are ordered, Itachi. I have spared the medic nin's life for now. I am still contemplating her usefulness in the present. Do not press me, lest I send the organization out after _you_." Leader threatened.

Itachi felt his jaw move, wanting to clench, but fought it. Showing Leader sama emotion would benefit no one. He bowed, in acknowledgment. "Very well then" Itachi said stiffly.

"She is being retrieved as we speak. Do not interfere." Leader sama's grey shadow flickered out, ring resounding on his finger from the meeting.

Itachi's eyes narrowed. The hell she was was...

…................................................

"You got any back up coming any time soon?" Karin asked.

Sakura ground her teeth. She'd deal with her dental bills later. Right now called for action of the gravest kind. Shit. Shit, shit!

"There's no one coming."Sakura replied drawing her swords.

"We are so screwed." Karin groaned.

"Shut up" Sakura retorted. "And prepare"

They hit 2 minutes after, hard and fast.

…................................................

Sakura pounded the ground, the muck around them splattering as the ground shook, the sound nin scattering. It wasn't as powerful as the muck absorbed some of the shock but it did what was needed.

"Damn it!" She snarled, ripping the tree trunk from it roots, avoiding the kunai as she used the trunk as a bat sending the offending ninja flying. Karin's eyes widened, as she watched the monstrous strength of the girl in front of her. She really was the Hokage's apprentice.

"Where is _he_?" Sakura snarled, to Karin, throwing the tree out into the woods, taking down a few other trees and the flickering chakras she sensed with them.

"There" Karin pointed into the trees.

"Kabuto! Face me like a real man." Sakura screamed.

"Well this is a surprise" The eerie voice called out. Kabuto landed, rising as he drew a kunai.

"Here, I was supposed to be apprehending Itachi's abductee and I find you, cute little Sakura chan instead? So you and Itachi _are_ working together after all. I knew it." He said with a pause.

Sakura's lip curled.

"I wonder how well that heady knowledge sits with Konoha now that you've become a missing ninja." Kabuto said with a grin, glasses gleaming.

"You know nothing." Sakura snapped, crouching as she drew her swords.

"On the contrary, I know more than you could possibly think. But right now this is an inopportune meeting. You have terrible timing, Haruno" He said crouching as he grinned maniaclly.

"Something pressing demanding your time? Something more urgent?" Sakura mocked, glaring her hatred at the silver haired lackey. "I'd hate to keep you from it." She replied scathingly.

"I'd love to stay and fight, but I have bigger obligations, and you are in the way. Simply give up the girl and nothing more will happen. We will part ways and no one will get hurt." He said eying Karin.

Karin balked at the grey haired ninja. "Sakura..." She stammered.

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "You're not getting her."

Kabuto sighed. "I did try to appeal to you in friendship Sakura-"

"We were never friends" She replied acidly.

"Very well then, I suppose I'll have to take her by force" He said, pushing his glasses up and adjusting his gloves.

"Try it" Sakura sneered.

"Watch me" Kabuto retorted with a sick grin. The ground trembled, groaning.

"Beneath you!" Karin hissed, as she backed away.

Sakura cursed, grabbing the girls hand as she sprinted. Sakura turned deflecting the kunai that came soaring at them, as the red haired girl screamed.

"That's Orochimaru's..." She stammered as she pointed at the growing bulge in the ground in mute horror.

"Shut up! Keep track of Kabuto" Sakura ordered, as her stomach turned.

The hydra snake burst out of the ground, boulders and dirt shedding off the summons in heaps and mounds. The many heads snarled, hissing and spitting their acidic venom as they fixed their yellow green eyes upon her. Sound nin's screams were drowned out by the satisfied hiss and snap of the snakes. Sakura felt even more sick as she pressed on through the marshland. This was why sound irritated her so. They didn't care how many ninja they had to expend to get a job done. Ninja were not only tools, they were food for their hideous creatures and summons. They were lab rats to be experimented on. Sound had no sense of pride as a country, as a community and no sense of ethos as a people.

"Behind you!" Karin shrieked and Sakura brought up her swords, throwing the red head forward, deflecting the creepy silver haired medic, and forcing him back.

She sliced with her twin katana, and he dodged, weaving, looking for an opening. He didn't dodge her booted foot to his face, sending him flying into the tree, a startled gasp from Karin. The mud sucked at her ankles, mud splattering as she turned, landing and crouched waiting for him. What a shitty place for a fight. _God damn it,_ Sakura thought, as she pushed her choppy wet locks from her face, Green eyes blazing.

"If you hand her over now, Sakura I'll make them go away. No harm no foul." Kabuto told her with that creepy smile of his, blood dripping down his chin as he wiped it with a chakra laced finger.

The Hydras in the background were coming. Fuck. Along with an entire regiment of fully equipped sound nin. Itachi picked a hell of a time to leave, but they must have been watching, waiting for him to leave, for this chance. They counted on her to fail.

"Desperate man, making a desperate offer. Go to hell" Sakura replied.

Kabuto smirked. "Desperation is a funny term coming from your vantage point, but as you wish, ladies first." Kabuto replied, chakra blades coming fast and hard.

Sakura lined her own blades with chakra meeting his head on going body to body with him. She wasn't going to loose these ones this time. Blades crossed and cut, sparks flying as blades dances and shinged, the sounds rattling in her very bones as the swords hummed in tune as they met. He'd improved but he hadn't accounted for her own improvement. Bastard. She'd show him not to underestimate her again.

Chakra crackled as it met and held. Kabuto clenched his jaw, bearing down on her as he tried to force his chakra through her own. Sakura bit into her cheek, the salty tang of her blood awakening her. She pumped layers of chakra into her blades fortifying and barricading them. She grimaced as she pushed, crying out at the pain of her stressed muscles as she pressed forward.

"I'm sending you to hell" Sakura snarled, as she strained against him.

Kabuto merely smiled. And disappeared in poisoned ninja smoke. Covering her mouth, careful not to inhale the fumes, Sakura searched for him.

Jade eyes widened in horror at the charge beneath her, and she rolled. The explosion sent her into the trees, and Sakura gasped as she met the branch forcefully, going through it, and falling into and through another tree to land a thicker branch. She connected with it hard, but not hard enough to break it and gasped as the wind knocked out of her. Sakura didn't have time to contemplate her pain. Kabuto was on her in milliseconds. His harsh arms pinned her own behind her, the burns from the explosion pulling and opening, stinging with her perspiration and strain.

"Brave words, Sakura. But you're still weak..." Kabuto chided, before he felt her head connect with his teeth. He cried out in pain, and Sakura smirked.

Sakura turned, arms freed and full on decked him with a chakra enhanced blow. The bastard couldn't dodge, Sakura had retaliated too quickly. With a howl the gray haired sound nin went flying, plummeting like a comet to the ground below. He skidded across the mud, finally landing against a tree which broke his descension. Wiping the muck from his glasses, blood pouring from miscellanious cuts and abrasion across his arms and face. Both glowed green as they used healing chakra to set their pressing wounds.

With a snarl, Kabuto launched himself forward, Sakura jumping down from the tree. Blades met and sang as they rang. Sakura landed and turned, combining her swords and kicks. Kabuto couldn't keep up and she knew she'd cracked his ribs by the look on his face. But he still smiled, like he knew something she didn't.

"Too late" Kabuto grinned, with cracked and bleeding teeth. Sakura turned behind her to see the hydra's over her.

"AHG- Let go of ME!" Karin snarled, pummeling the sound nin. The girl may have been a lab rat, but she was still a ninja. However even her ninja skill couldn't hold out against their numbers. Like cockroaches they just kept coming.

"Karin" Sakura's focus returned to the girl and she launched herself forward.

The snake's head snapped and Sakura barely avoided it as the monstrous thing barred her way. Acid spit from their fangs and Sakura was forced to retreat less she loose a limb. But she couldn't loose Karin. She leaped around the snake, hitting the dirt as she sprinted after them. Kabuto barred her way.

"Damn you, what the hell do you need another lab ninja for? You let her go in the first place!" Sakura cried.

"Leverage" Kabuto replied. "Not that you'll understand, anyways." He said, managing a hit to her cheek with the handle of his katana. Thrown backwards, she saw the giant hydra, hovering over her.

"I don't have time to play. But they should keep you amply busy whilst we make our departure." Kabuto grinned.

Sakura's jaw clenched, her cheek throbbing painfully in protest. She couldn't fight so many on her own, which left only one option. She'd have to take them down one enemy at a time, which Kabuto was counting on. He knew he didn't stand a chance, which is why he had brought so many. She was only one person, had only so much chakra, could do only so much on her own. When facing a powerhouse one brought an arsenal, and distracted. He had sacrificed an entire regiment and a hydra summons for this little coupe. Sakura's eyes narrowed. How dare he treat the death of his comrades, people from his own fucking country so insignificantly. Sakura wiped the blood dripping from a cut above her eye, and pulled out the charges.

With a feral battle cry, the pink haired kunoichi sliced the head of the nearest hydra snake, leaping and tumbling as her sword made slices and gashes along the surfaces of their faces and necks. She spinned as she hacked and dodged, avoiding the acid, as they began spit on each other. Sakura was too small of a target for them and too quick. The snakes snarled their fury, turning on each other as all became chaos around her. Sakura leapt off the head of the nearest one and into the trees, launching herself forward as she sprinted like her life depended on it. Because it did.

Sakura had expended 7 pouches of senbon and 5 charges. But it became worth it as she gained the time needed to fight them to pursue Karin and Kabuto who had taken her. Snake bits and pieces flew, the smell of burning snake skin enveloping the area. She didn't look back as the very air around her was burning, the temperature rising with the scolding heat. It rained crimson blood. She honed in on his chakra, eyes narrowed as she pushed herself forward. Kunai flew from her palms, picking off the sound ninja trailing after Kabuto.

Several turned, but their fate was the same as Sakura cut them down, slowing only momentarily as she pursued Kabuto and Karin.

"Kabuto!" Sakura snarled as she sliced the head off a sound nin, continuing after him.

They were out of the marshlands, and into a mountainous desert. Kabuto stood, overlooking the field of sand beneath them, Karin unconcious. He had several bite wounds, all of them greenish and purple. At least the girl had fought him.

"You know this field?" He asked her.

'"The only significance of this field is that it's the one you're going to die on" Sakura retorted.

"Tsk tsk, Sakura, have you forgotten your history so easily? The field of Akahoshi is everyone's graveyard." Kabuto smirked.

Sakura grit her teeth, grinding as she clenched her fists. Damn him. He had planned this from the very start, had watched her, had known exactly what to do and how to distract her. If Sakura set so much as an inch within the field the mines scattered during the lost ninja wars would blow her to tiny bits. And she had no way to sense them without setting them off first. How had he gotten across? But that was a stupid question as well. He was Orochimaru's assistant, the man had to have his hands on the mines locations as it was a hallmark battle to the great ninja wars. As low on chakra as she was currently, then her injuries, she was no match for this field. Goddamn him! Damn it! Kabuto was getting away with Karin. She had failed Itachi. Cursing herself for her foolishness and blinded by tears of rage she fell to her knees.

…...........................................

Pakkun had lost the scent, but not the trail of her handy work. Sakura's calling card, one massive explosion after another gave the dog a fresh trail of disaster enough to track.


	25. Reputation

AN: I have a confession to make. I think I had this chapter partially written by like the middle of the story. I've been waiting to put this chapter into play for a very long time. I'm highly pleased with it and am so grateful to have gotten to this point. Thanks for those who've journeyed with me on this fic and I sincerely hope you continue to enjoy it till the end.

"_Reputations are made by searching for things that can't be done and doing them." -Frank Tyger-_

Itachi raced down the mountainside, spurred by the conversation with Leader sama. He had left her alone. He nearly stumbled, feeling the aftershock of the explosion, the ground beneath him groaning and quaking with unshed tension. Bloody rain drizzled as he watched the forest burning, snake bits falling.Snakes meant one and only thing. _Sound _Itachi thought with narrowed eyes. More specifically Kabuto. Sakura... Itachi's fists clenched. Leader sama was cooperating with Sound? The tension between their two factions was tangibly taste able. If this was Leader sama's way of trying to alleviate the pressure, it was pathetic.

Sound. Kabuto. What could they possibly gain by giving into them? _Sakura._ Thoughts of the pink haired medic nin streamed through his sub conscious without his consent. If Sakura was fighting Kabuto and whatever he'd brought with him on her own....Itachi pushed himself forward, feeling the sinking feeling in his stomach rising. Itachi wasn't the kind to panic. He always maintained his calm even when his hands threatened to tremble whilst culling his clan. But this feeling, the sinking feelings he'd felt...The chakra burst from his feet as he leaped forward. Itachi was a man of control. He could not change his feelings, but he could make steps towards his reaction. He curbed the instinct to protect, and turned it to his advantage, giving him adrenaline.

He could sense Sakura's chakra signature, could feel her from his position, slowly closing in. The sinking feeling lessened and Itachi's head cleared. Grateful that she was still alive, relatively unscathed from what he could tell, he pressed on, towards her. He passed the corpses of the sound nin she'd left, body parts scattered in some cases. This was no small operation. And Leader sama had expected resistance. Kabuto had come prepared. Sakura was in a hurry as she passed this way, Itachi noted. And someone else had been as well. Two someone's; one forced, dragged by the appearance, the other doing the forcing. Itachi's glance hardened. Damn him for inteferring.

Itachi halted as he saw her pink hair. She sat, on more precisely she was on her knees, palms in front of her head hung.

"Sakura" Itachi's lilting tenor reached her ears.

"Itachi..." Sakura said, turning. Verdant green eyes held the answers. Shame,guilt, overwhelming guilt were painted, etched on her face. Her lip trembled, and she bit it, to still the motion, clenching her fist to stop her trembling.

"Speak" He ordered. "Tell me everything."

And so Sakura did. She told him every detail she could manage to remember from the fight from Kabuto. Sakura had excellent memory and Itachi could almost see the fight in his mind with the information she'd pieced together for him. Itachi's eyes flashed, darkened, as Sakura relayed what he had said to her.

"I-Itachi?" Sakura asked, the aura around him growing colder.

He turned from her.

"This is the end of the line" Itachi told her Akatsuki cloak covering his mouth. Sakura's green eyes widened. "It's over."

"W-what?" Sakura replied.

"I'm terminating our partnership." Itachi replied. "Go home"

Sakura stood stunned as the weight of his words hit her full force. She felt the air leave her lungs, as if he'd physically struck her with them.

"You- Y-You can't do that!" Sakura stammered as she fought for the words. "This is a partnership, remember Itachi?You don't make all the decisions here." She snapped.

"It's over, Sakura." Itachi replied with finality.

"No. I have a say in this too!" She replied, rising. The hell she was going to take this sitting down.

"No?_ No?!_" Itachi's voice took on a hard tone, eyes glaring at the girl who so amiably defied him. It was the most emotion she had seen from him yet. Sakura's verdant eyes hardened into glassy jade. She wasn't afraid.

"No." Sakura repeated with confidence. "We're not finished. Not Yet." She replied firmly apple green eyes shinning with the strength of her conviction. Her unwavering belief in him. In him.

"I was ordered to _kill_ you, Sakura. All along. Whatever false delusions you have about us are finished as well as our partnership." Itachi told her, confessing it. He could no longer pretend.

Sakura stiffened. Her hand reached trembling for her kunai. She'd been played; strung along, all along. Everything had been a lie, hadn't it? A game, a sick twisted game to him. Sakura felt hollow, numb. No. _No,_ it was him who was _lying_. This was real. What they had shared was real. He wouldn't be doing this if he wasn't afraid. He was trying to push her away. Damn him. Again.

"But I cannot. I will not." He told her, sharingan eyes whirling. Sakura choked, his admonition shocking her to the core. What was he trying to tell her?

"It's for the best if we part" He said softly, almost tenderly. Almost.

"Itachi..." Sakura murmured awed and cowed by his strong statement. He was willingly defying Akatsuki. He wasn't going to kill her. And then she felt anger. No he was going to leave her, abandon her as every other person always did when things got hard. He was trying to protect her, but he had trained her. She didn't want protection. Not from him. She only wanted to be with him to see the truth for herself about Sasuke, about him, about herself.

"Stupid girl." Itachi said responding to the softness in her eyes. "Haven't I already told you? Don't pretend to know my motives." Itachi said, grabbing her chin and forcing her to look into his eyes.

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "I'm still useful then? That's what this is about."

"That's what this has _always_ been about, Sakura" Itachi returned with a disapproving glare. "But I don't need you, anymore"

"Liar." Sakura returned with a slap to his face."How dare you!"

Itachi turned, surprised by the lack of chakra behind the blow. His body had responded instantly, hands around her neck as he pushed her back. Sakura's hand worked of their own accord, breaking the hold. Itachi kicked hard, sending the girl flying into the rock. Kunai against her neck, blood trickling down.

"Stop pushing me away!" Sakura begged, eyes threatening tears. "Stop trying to protect me!" She pleaded. "I have no where else to go. You made sure of that. You tell me to go home, but I don't have one anymore. Or have you forgotten? I've sacrificed everything for this. I have no where else to go. And no one else to turn to. And now you. And this? You're leaving me too? What the hell am I supposed to do?"

Itachi didn't answer, lost in his own thoughts. Her own pitiful cries echoed his own at that time.

_"Don't leave me" He'd told him with tears, the last he'd ever shed. _

_"Never" The sinister voice promised. _

"Don't leave me!" She cried, and Itachi visibly flinched his haunted memories echoed in that heart wrenching sob. "Please....I want to finish this. I have to know. I can't go back now. I need answers for the questions I still have"

Itachi closed his eyes. How he knew that feeling, so familiar and haunting, though he had killed his emotions, sealed himself off from that so very long ago. To deny her, to turn her away was to turn himself away. Itachi couldn't do that. No longer. She was the same. For better or worse, and it was more than likely to be the latter, he had brought her into and she would stay with him until the end of it all, regardless of the ending.

"Come" He ordered though he knew he would regret it. She wouldn't last in his world for much longer. The closer the two were the more danger it placed on her. But to be without her was unthinkable too. Sakura had a habit of finding trouble greater than herself. Better she die with him than without him.

"Where are we going?" Sakura asked, as she used her palms to scrub the tears from her face.

"South west was where she last sensed him. I think I know where he went." Itachi said eyes narrowing.

Sakura grasped his cloak, and he turned to look at her.

"I'm sorry" She murmured, unable to look him in the eyes. Grasping her chin, he forced her eyes up, and he kissed her swiftly, pulling her close. Sakura melted in his embrace, allowing the warmth of his cloak, the unnatural heat of his body to warm her. He tasted like a mixture of sweetness and death, death he would unevitably deal.

"Come." He ordered, releasing her as he took off.

They traveled hard, the rain pelting them, punishing them as they pressed forward. Lightning lit the sky, both reliving the nightmares that plagued them, ghosts of those they used to know. Sakura was hard pressed to keep up. He was hastening to keep their trail cold, hastening because it was important. They traveled through the night at top speed, through lands Sakura wasn't entirely familiar with. They stopped to rest, but their rest was troubled. The grey followed them, lightning and thunder their companions as they traveled. No words were exchanged. None were needed. Whatever Itachi knew would solve the mystery once and for all. They would find answers. Two days of traveling with no sleep brought them to their location. The sun was setting, dark descending upon them.

"You will stay here" he ordered her.

"I refuse to stay put." Sakura replied. "We are Partners in this, Itachi"

"You are not an Uchiha, Sakura. This place is only for those of the clan." Itachi replied.

"U-uchiha?"Sakura stammered. Why would they be at a secret Uchiha compound with Itachi's past"

"Yes" Itachi replied, firmly.

"No." Sakura shook her head. "Uchiha Sasuke was my teammate. My precious _Nakama_. You cannot deny me this." Sakura replied. "I deserve to know"

He slammed her against the wall, and Sakura felt the wall shift. She was lying against a cracked Uchiha symbol, Uchiha Itachi pinning her against the weathered sandstone. She couldn't tell whether it was anger or jealousy in those ruby red mangekyo and she awaited her punishment, but none came. He simply stared at her with those sharingan eyes. He hadn't slammed her hard enough to break the wall or it would have broken her skin and Sakura felt no blood escaping, though she felt the heat from his gaze. Then what had broken the wall...? Ah. The wall must have been broken before now.

"Maybe I should have killed you before now. Your entitled attitude is annoying" Itachi threatened.

Sasuke...he had called her annoying all those years ago. Had he meant it the same way Itachi was? In an attempt to push her away further? Sakura wasn't going to bite. She wasn't going to cry, because she finally understood.

Sakura didn't blink under that angry gaze that threatened her life. Her eyes grew warm and soft, and it was this look that strayed his hand.

"Kill me, but I will not stay here. I would risk my fate against whatever is in that room to learn of what happened to him. What really happened to him. I cant go back now, Itachi" She said, serious.

Itachi's mouth slammed hard against hers in a feral kiss, and she gasped. Her surprise lasted moments until she was kissing him back, equally ferocious as her hands snaked around his neck. If she could go on kissing Itachi for a lifetime she probably would. His tongue massaged hers, rough and as she gasped for breath he nipped her lips, taking it away the second she'd thought she'd reclaimed it. Sakura loved him.

The rough administrations stopped almost as soon as they began, pressing a soft chaste kiss to her lips as his slashed forehead protected leaned against her warm forehead giving her cool relief. She could feel the slash, wondering if it made an impression on her. She realized with a start that the kiss was one of parting and she recoiled.

"Don't" She said desperate as she gripped his sleeve. Red eyes searched hers. He was looking for her strength, for her weakness. He finally sighed, resigned with whatever it was he had seen in her eyes. Kissing her one last time wistfully, he took her arms from his neck.

"Follow me. I will not be held responsible for your life should they choose to end it" He told her.

"That's fair" Sakura swallowed, clenching her fists and following.

As much as she wanted to hold his hand she knew from the space between them that he was distancing himself from her. Whether it was to protect her or to sever their tie mattered little; it hurt. It wounded her, and the old wounds opened and bleed freely, afresh from their scar material. Uchiha were always the same, always keeping those who loved them an arms distance away. It hurt. It forced her to understand the seriousness of the situation at hand. It brought out the determination in her eyes. She would rise to the challenge. He was pushing her away in an attempt to shield her, to protect her. She would not be pushed aside. She refused to be protected. She would stand with him and deal with her own oppositions, an equal.

It looked modern, like a sewer until they got further into the building. They walked the corridors lit with wooden torches. She could smell the oil burning from them, more Uchiha symbols and images that she didn't understand spread across the sandstone walls. Blood had stained these walls most of it older than she would ever know, but there nonetheless. She couldn't tell who's it had been. Perhaps some Uchiha of old, or one of their enemies as they were cut down. Itachi stood in front of the final barrier and his hand flashed through seals quicker than Sakura could follow. He bit his thumb and smeared it across the wall. A blinding flash appeared and Sakura used her arm to shield her eyes. Her pupils adjusted, she blinked shaking away the spots from her eyes and was greeted by cats in kimono.

"Itachi san. We expected you" A cat mewled.

Sakura blinked, wondering if she was insane. Cats? Cats wearing Kimono with Uchiha symbols imprinted on them? How..what…She remembered Pakkun, Kakashi's ninja dog summon and understanding dawned on her. These were the Uchiha familiars. She had never known, had never realized that the Uchiha had familiars. She'd never seen them around the Uchiha compound.

"We will take you to her, you and your guest" The cat said formally.

"I thank you for your mercy" Uchiha Itachi replied. She could only suppose he was talking about them not killing her on sight.

"You trust her. It speaks to the caliber of who she is. We will also place our trust in you and your Nakama."

Itachi recoiled at the word, flinching hard, but said nothing in affirmation or denial of what was stated. Sakura said nothing as well, following after him.

They were lead to awnings where an older cat sat surrounded by others of her kind.

Itachi smirked, as the cats stopped their talking and looked up at him, tails swaying in nervous anticipation. It was unnerving so many cat eyes upon them. There must have been hundreds in this underground lair and all of them were watching them.

"Itachi sama" The larger, older cat elder said.

Itachi bowed.

"I know what you seek, but it will only end in sorrow" She said. Itachi seemed to consider the words she said, turning them over in his mind before replying. Perhaps it was a formality of the clan. Sakura didn't know.

"Speak" Itachi commanded of the elder cat. "In the name of the Uchiha name I bear, I command you to speak." Itachi commanded again.

"You demand it. You always have. You know the truth, Itachi Kun. Look within yourself and realize the signs."The elder replied.

Itachi paused again,searching for the words. He found them and those red eyes lit up with an inner fire and he spoke after a time.

"He has passed these walls recently then, hasn't he?" Itachi stated, tenor voice strong and confident.

Sakura's eyes widened. He had to be talking about Sasuke. She choked. Sasuke had come through these halls before he died. Green eyes were wide with unshed tears. She hung on every last word they spoke.

"He came seeking the same knowledge" She replied speaking cryptically.

"_What_?" Itachi exclaimed, eyebrows rising.

Itachi was shocked, something Sakura had never seen before in his cool countenance. It startled her, made the hair rise on the back of her neck in alarm. Nothing took Itachi by surprise and yet here he was, shocked. Sakura felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise at his own expression. It was harrowing.

"I did not keep the knowledge of _him_ from you, even knowing that you would commit the genocide of the Uchiha clan, Itachi sama." She said, feral eyes welling into almond pools of sadness.

"You _will _explain yourself, and why I should _not_ bring these walls down around us as we _speak_." He spat, fury heating the very air around him as his chakra aura practically ignited.

"He has sought the same power you did when you lacked it." She said simply.

"And you _allowed_ him?!" Itachi asked with more anger in his voice than Sakura had ever thought him possible of.

"It was not within our rights to deny him. We are servants of the Uchiha. We gave him the same information you sought. He demanded it." She replied evenly.

Itachi's eyes hardened and his face had the most incredulous look of doubt suspicion and hate Sakura had ever seen etched onto his features. His statue-esque hatred emanated off of him in waves as bladed sharingan tomoe swirled and he turned stalking towards the exit. Sakura took one last baleful glance at the Uchiha cats and followed after him calling his name.

"Itachi!" She called again. He was practically running in his fast pace.

"Itachi!" Sakura jogged after him grabbing his sleeve, verdant green eyes scanning his as she looked at him in utter confusion.

She offered her heart in that look. Itachi could read people, could tell when they lied. She was sincere, earnest in her desire to take away his pain, to relieve it in any way she could. It was in her nature to heal pain. It was why he turned from it. It was his nature to keep it, after all. He had never felt so angry. He had never been so ill composed. He punched the wall, cracking the Uchiha symbol on the wall. Sakura turned, seeing the same Uchiha symbol on the wall next to it cracked. Understanding dawned in those apple green eyes.

"You cracked the other wall. You've been here before. You did the same thing before now. Why?" She pleaded, eyes filling with tears as she looked helplessly at him. Her hands grabbed his, anxious, desperate as she ran her fingertips across his bloodied hand.

"You wouldn't understand." He snapped, red eyes narrowed at her pity.

"Please.." She begged, a tear trailing a path down her creamy cheek. "Please Itachi. Make me understand it.." She begged, not knowing what she was asking for but knowing it was important.

And for once in his life, Itachi felt burdened, heavy under her gaze which promised such relief, promised to ease the burden he had carried since adolescence. He was so weary, so tired of carrying it for so long _alone_. He was always _alone_. Always. And it was so_ tiring_, so exhausting bearing all of it, the secrets he had sworn to keep till the grave. That look promised companionship, someone who could and would bear the burden. She was strong, strong enough to continue to hope for his foolish brother's salvation, strong enough to fight until she had no more left within her, strong enough to fight off the darkness within him.

"I cannot." Itachi replied. It was his nature to turn from such things.

"Why?" Sakura demanded, angry. "Because you're afraid? Because I could die for this information? I'll tell you what, I _did_ die for this Itachi."

Itachi eyed her, expressionless.

"I gave up my home, my life as I knew it and now you're keeping this from me?" Sakura exclaimed.

"I'm the same as you, abandoning everything I knew, cutting ties from everyone and everything for this, and you're denying me?" Sakura cried. "You hypocrit!" She cried.

She was right. She was right and it was this that gave him pause to re-evaluate his stance. She had proven herself time and time again. And he needed her thoughts, a second brilliant mind to help him think through the ramifications of this. Uchiha Itachi was weak in that moment, stripped of his shields and barriers that kept him from such an unbarring apple green gaze. From such a desperate plea. She was the same as he was and she had made her choice. The same that he had. And so he began to speak.

"The patriarch of the Uchiha clan, is Uchiha Madara." He began.

Sakura was startled that he spoke, but didn't question it, merely began to bind his raw and bleeding hand with the bandages she had pulled out from her pouch. And to her surprise he let her.

"Long ago he ruled the Uchiha clan. In the time of the Great Ninja Wars before the villages were formed, he fought against the first"

Sakura's eyes widened, shocked. "The first hokage?" She began, ignorant of the Uchiha history.

"Yes" He replied patiently. "Uchiha Madara was the leader of the Uchiha clan, the rivals of the Senju clan. The first was the Senju clan's patriarch." Itachi explained.

"But Uchiha Madara's statue is inthe valley of the end. He's a hero in Konoha's eyes." Sakura gasped.

"You know the parts of your history well, Sakura, but only the parts they _want_ you to know. Both Senju and Uchiha clans grew tired of fighting as the casualties grew costly. The Senju clan suggested a truce between them and the Uchiha clan. Uchiha Madara opposed the truce, however it happened anyways, in spite of his wishes"

"What happened after that?" Sakura asked having finished bandaging his hand.

"The Senju Uchiha alliance occurred, and they decided to protect Konohagakure."

"So the first became the first Hokage. Certainly that led to a power struggle." Sakura said thoughtfully.

Approval shown in Itachi's eyes as he regarded her.

"It did. Uchiha Madara did not approve of it, feeling that the Uchiha would be made dogs to the Senju clan's power. He left angry, accusations of being war hungry destroying his leadership."

"But he came back, didn't he?" Sakura asked.

Itachi nodded. "He challenged the first's power in the valley of the end and lost. Even the first thought he was dead. The first honored the Uchiha, choosing to forget the stain Madara had left on the clan and letting his memory live out in honor, if not a lie. It kept the Uchiha in line." He paused.

"The second sought to establish a firm hold over the Uchiha and gave them the status of police. The Uchiha military was formed. Fractions split, some feeling more in line with how Uchiha Madara thought then the first and second hokage and the Uchiha who were in support of Konohagakure"

"Uchiha Madara was there the night the kyuubi attacked Konoha. It was assumed that the Uchiha in Konohagakure were to blame for the incident. Black ops were posted to watch the Uchiha's every move. The third opposed this but it didn't matter."

"Uchiha Madara was to blame for the Kyuubi's attack, wasn't he, Itachi?" Sakura asked softly.

"I will never know. There's not enough evidence, unless we were able to ask the kyuubi vessel himself. Regardless we are where we stand right now" Itachi said.

"but then what about the deaths of the Uchiha clan?" Sakura asked. "You didn't finish." She said.

"You know what happened that night, Sakura" He said simply.

"You killed them. You killed your entire clan. But there was no way you had the power to do it…Oh gods." She fell to her knees, realization overwhelming her senses.

"You asked him. You asked Uchiha Madara to help you" Sakura rasped.

Itachi said nothing. There was nothing to say.

"Why did you do it? Did you know who Uchiha Madara was and what he was up to? You wanted to kill the Uchiha that supported Konohagakure didn't you?" Sakura accused, standing as she glared at him.

"I cannot tell you that" Itachi replied, the last barrier erected to keep him from her, the strongest one.

"Bullshit. You've revealed more to me this night than you've ever revealed to anyone else alive. Tell _me_" She persuaded.

"I am sworn to secrecy, Sakura" He said with finality.

"How can I trust you then?" She trembled. "You stand for everything I am against, Itachi."

"You know that answer" He replied.

"Damn you. What are you afraid of by trusting me? What do you loose? I _want_ to trust you…" She murmured.

"You can not afford to, Sakura. You are a kunoichi of Konoha. You would do best to leave things as they are. Our temporary truce is one of convenience. You know this. Trust those feelings" He said.

"You're pushing me away. Stop pushing me away! Stop trying to protect me! What's more stop trying to protect yourself. Why Itachi! Tell me!"

"I will not" He told her. "I can not" He replied regretfully, walking into the shadows of the forest.


	26. The Devil

AN: So I guess I've been disappointed with Sakura in the manga and that has made this update particularly difficult as our little cherry blossum is finally doing just that. For those of you who had prodded me for an update, thank you, it helps to know that people care about this fic. Its been my own little caterpillar metamorphosis for my writing style.

But in brighter news, Madara is simply delectable and wonderful to write for...hehe. In defense for how I'm writing Sakura, she is emotionally bound, and therein lies her flaws. I think her loyalties stem from personal relationships or so I'm interpreting. The Madara kishi made is pathetic, and pisses me off, so I'm adding my own flourishes. Madara should, all farces stripped, be intelligent, cold and calculating, manipulating and abusive. This is how I'm writing him.

"_Somehow our devils are never quite what we expect when we meet them face to face" -Nelson DeMille-_

Itachi had accepted that his feelings for Sakura were less than professional as he walked deeper into the darkness. She was something more, something less than he had planned on. Emotional detachment was not a word to describe the intricacy their relationship had sunk to, had evolved into really. He had started off cold, calculated and completely separated emotionally, physically from her. She was a pawn in his game for larger conquest and a casualty of the way of the ninja, a way he was fighting against with everything he had and a way that she had committed to before him so her blood wasn't on his hands. Sakura wasn't something something he'd accounted for, or anticipated. She was spontaneous, a wild card in his completely planned agenda. Of course Sasuke's death had been so as well.

And she had nearly convinced him to tell her, oaths and consequences be damned, of that fatal night, a night he had sworn to take with him to the death. What was worse he wanted to tell her, to reveal the burdens he had carried for so long. He could not. Sakura was not yet strong enough to bear the toll his words would extract. And part of him, the selfish part of him did not want her to turn from him, as he knew she would. He was afraid of her reaction to his words, her rejection. Itachi closed his eyes, rubbing his forehead protector as he tried to think, but he lacked the ability. All he could see was cherry blossom pink hair, tan roughed skin from their travel and training, and chapped coral lips. Apple green eyes danced in his unseeing vision when he closed his eyes, her face traced on his inner eyes, and he hated her for it. Hated that she made him loose focus. Hated that he couldn't control her, and worse his reaction to her.

He was sinking in deeper than he had ever desired to go, going well beyond the point that he had ever wanted to get involved. He was a fool to think dipping his feet in, involving himself with a woman like Sakura wouldn't go this far. Sakura was...endearing, an enigma in a life like his and her charm was her persistent faith in what was good. Even if her good was a matter of perspective, it was real, nonetheless, because she _believed_ it and though Itachi knew her good would tarnish, could recognize the illusions of deception that bound her, he could not bring himself to change it. She thought he was good and she believed it enough that it was starting to deceive even him. She had bound him with her bindings, wrapped him so tight in her that escape was unfathomable. He knew it was only a matter of time before her good tarnished, in fact, that _he_ would be the one to tarnish it, yet he couldn't help but hold on. Whether it was her fault or not, he couldn't let go just yet.

Perhaps it was because his own innocence had been so hastily snatched away. Perhaps it was because he had none to hold onto and thus was reaching to her to save him. As if she could save him, as if anyone could save him at this point, but salvation wasn't the issue here. No, it settled more along the lines of possession. Itachi had so very little he felt possessive over, had hardly owned anything of true value his entire life. Anything that was his before the massacre belonged to his family, and he, really, had belonged to his family, as their chosen heir. Forced to do what he had to, to become the head of the Uchiha clan, forced to follow their every beckoning call, heed their every word. Itachi's eyes narrowed. He had thrown everything away so very long ago.

And yet his partnership with her was something he knew now that he would risk his life to protect, had already risked his life to protect. The only other thing he had felt so strongly about was his brother, Sasuke and that was fleeting at best, a few lifetimes ago, before he became who he'd had to. Before he'd sacrificed it all for greater power, for greater truth. But the comparison between those two were night and day. For Sakura... it was something else. Something he couldn't place his fingers on. Something he couldn't risk to define.

Itachi had no reservations about himself. Love wasn't something someone like him was capable of. He didn't expect that of himself, and didn't expect others to feel so inclined in return. No, he couldn't love her, couldn't give her what she truly deserved, what every girl wanted of the man she admired. Of course, this was assuming that Sakura admired him, a fact of which he was still unsure. It was safe to conclude that there was something more between them than simple comradery, or body chemistry, but the fact that she simply might be using him to discover the truth of her dead teammate, his dead brother, was something he'd thought of long before.

Was it manipulative, if they were mutually using each other? He wondered. It certainly wasn't healthy, but then again he wasn't the type to be in a healthy normal relationship of any sort anyways... No. He didn't want that, couldn't expect that with her, from her. He had his reasons for keeping Sakura close, for wanting her near him. She was useful still. She proved her usefulness daily time and time again and it was worth defying leader sama's orders to keep her so, because he couldn't see her untapped potential. She was so close to being pushed over the boards, to stepping over the line of her safely drawn boundaries. She would willingly come with him if he pushed her, if he used her. If he broke her.

_ Then why did you forgive her for letting Kabuto get away? Why did you allow her to follow you all this time? Why did you train her?_

These were things Itachi wanted to keep buried deep within himself. Things he couldn't tell her, though she pleaded with him. She didn't need to know these things and he would not ever give them to her. Itachi had never wanted anything and even the smallest flickerings of these desires, these selfish longings frightened him though he couldn't recognize these signs. Itachi wasn't tied down to this plane of existence, in that sense he and his brother had been one, both seeking the end to fulfill their goals. There was nothing he desired more so than oblivion. In truth, he had never desired to see this many days. But if he could die with a new world order, with something better than what his father had given him, then what he had been forced to take, then he could rest in oblivion.

Itachi's eyes looked out among the forest. Strange. They were so close to the Konoha boundary they could have easily made it back to the village before morning. But that was odd that he'd even thought of that. The last time he'd been there was with Kisame and that was to try and gain hold of the Kyuubi and the unfortunate encounter with his brother. Sasuke...Itachi shook his head. He was dead and nothing, not sentimental praddle, nor wishful thinking would change that. And now he knew why. The flickerings of _his _chakra flared and Itachi's eyes narrowed. Speak of the devil...

He glared out into the darkness, hands searching inside his cloak for his kunai.

"Itachi..." The voice was dark, recognizable even if Itachi couldn't see him with his own two eyes, quite the contrary from his alternate personality, Tobi the happy go lucky rookie of Akatsuki.

"_Madara..._" Itachi's jaw clenched, fists practically shaking in their rage.

"No friendly greeting for me? After all we've been through, you cant even muster the sincerity of gratitude at my pains for you" He asked, his role as Tobi playing into his tone, Sharingan eye in his orange mask half mast in his glee.

Itachi said nothing, his grip on his kunai tightening.

"Pein kun has told me quite a few 'little' details about you that I find most... intriguing." He told him. Madara was looking for his reaction. Stupid as Itachi wasn't the kind to be baited by words.

"It seems you've stepped outside of your bounds this time, Ita- kun." He said saccharine tone dripping with sarcasm. Madara was pleased to catch him in any way stepping outside of his carefully drawn lines.

The kunai launched at him disappeared through a vortex of the maniacal bastards own doing. Itachi's sharingan were narrowed. He was moments away from summoning the Mangekyou and ending it here, now, just between the two of them.

"Ah, Ah, Ah" Madara warned, shaking his finger at him, anticipating the prodigy's thoughts. "Lets not be hasty. After all I've done you a great favor. I could have killed your little accomplice before I came to you about this matter. And if you loose this match, I can still have my way with her." He taunted.

"I need no favors of yours any longer." Itachi said, tone dark and sinister.

"You have no idea how much you have always thrived on my kindness, Itachi. So do stop being impertinent, shut that pseudo righteous self indulgent mouth of yours and _listen_ to what I have to say to you." Madara replied, tone mimicking his, or perhaps it was the former. Itachi hated his longtime mentor more than he hated himself.

"I have already made ready for you, and in my kindness and forward thinking I have even thought to make arrangements in my plans for the Godaime's apprentice as well. Tomorrow, you, and your little accomplice, will join me at the Valley's end, where we will continue our plans." He told him.

"And what makes you think I would go along willingly with them? With anything you say? You _killed_ Sasuke." Itachi snarled, fists clenched.

"Because you have no other option. Sacrifices had to be made, and you, of all people should know that. You will do as I tell you, or I will kill her myself and then finish what we started so long ago." Madara snapped, chakra boiling beneath the surface. Itachi's chakra rose.

"We will meet you tomorrow, but we will not die." Itachi told him.

He could feel the smug grin emanating off the ancient bastard and it grated on him like nothing else. "And what makes you think I won't kill you now?"

"Your desperate need for theatrics, your pathetic desire for attention. If you wanted to kill me you wouldn't have told me about the Valley's end. You wouldn't have revealed your hand before you dealt it. In your sick twisted mind you desire the tension, the theatrical angst and suspension because you have nothing left to live for" Itachi replied, eyes never wavering.

Madara smirked beneath the mask, eyes alight in amusement.

"You must know that your insolence has _always_ amused me, Itachi kun." He started, eye widening in pure maniacal joy.

Itachi glared menacingly at him, half ready to summon the Mangekyou, but now as ever hanging off the man's every word. It was true that the old decrepit patriarch lived for theatrics but Madara was the only real father figure Itachi had, the only parental authority that had shaped him during his formative years. It was also true that Itachi could do no more, no less than let him finish it, and he hated the man for it.

"and I suppose it's my indulgence of your attitude that has brought us here, today. Therefore, I will give you this last indulgence but only because it amuses me to do so." Madara remarked.

Itachi paused.

"You will realize shortly that without my unfailing kindness and generosity you _will_ die, and loose everything else precious to you left in your miserable life. You seem to think you have nothing left to loose and I will kindly rid you of that horrid little misnotion of yours." Madara was sinister and deadly in his intent, tone taking on his true motivation.

"I won't let you." Itachi snapped, kunai in hand.

The kunai was parried with Madara's own, and the two launched at each other with frightening speed. He had Itachi in a choke hold before the Mangekyou user could respond, three blades showed up, eyes nearly closed as he felt the pain of summoning it. Madara had senbon sticking into him, fading and blurring as the man hadn't quite summoned up his flickering ability fast enough/

"If you show up tomorrow with your accomplice and grovel for my mercy, I will spare your life and yes, even her miserable excuse for an existence." Madara panted, exerted from the efforts expended to punish Itachi's insolence. Itachi himself had improved, more than he had ever realized, and he was sure the young hellion was holding back on him.

"If you show up, however, with that little mouth of yours...." He squeezed Itachi's jaw hard with his other hand. Holding back or not, Madara still had the strength to crush him.

"I'll kill you, and make her my newest pet." Madara told him, holding him single handed-ly as Itachi choked for air.

He was loosing conciousness, scrambling against Madara's hold. The senbon weren't affecting Madara fast enough and Itachi didn't have very many options in this moment. He did the only thing he could think of to force the ancient Uchiha patriarch to release him. He summoned amaterasu. The black flames rose, and Madara shrieked, disappearing within his vortex, the crickets the only sound left in the glade of the forest.

* * *

Sakura stayed by the light of the fire clutching her knees to her chest. She felt hollow, numb after such an encounter. How could she trust Itachi? He stood for everything she was against potentially, though he had never answered her, had avoided the very question of it. He had killed the Uchiha clan with Madara though, and that was enough to condemn him. From the records it had said that he had tested his potential, that was the alleged excuse, but too many things didn't add up. Sakura bit her lip. That wasn't what her heart was telling her. That wasn't the feeling she got from him every time she looked at him, every time he looked at her, every time they mentioned it. Itachi had built up a web of lies so convincing that even he had fallen into it.

He told her not to trust him, but he had yet to break her trust, had surprised her at every turn of this twisted story. Sakura was surprised to realize that she meant what she said. She wanted to trust him, but it was so dangerous. Could she trust her feelings for him? Could she wager everything she had on this? On him? Could she blindly take this step forward? It meant sacrificing everything she had held dear, everything she had learned from her heartache. It meant leaving her completely emotionally vulnerable for him to have his way with and she hadn't done that since she'd begged Sasuke not to go. He hadn't taken her with him. He'd rejected her, nicely, but it was rejection all the same. Sakura was afraid, afraid of giving herself away again.

She felt the chakra signature, and her hair rose on the back of her neck, chilled to the core. She rose to her feet, kunai in hand as she charged through the brush. Itachi stumbled through the bushes and foliage, hand around his neck as he coughed.

"Itachi!" She exclaimed, heart constricting painfully in her chest, as she caught him. Panic rose, as she eyed his wounds.

Instantly she went to work, medic chakra glowing as she poured out, seeking his external ailments as she fought her rising panic. She was worried there were lacerations he wasn't telling her about. There were bruises around his neck in the shape of hand prints and yet when she looked around and scanned with her chakra there was no one there. Who had done such a thing and managed to get away so quickly? Bewildered, she set to those first, chakra healing them instantly as she took account of everything else. His eye. His eye was bleeding.

Itachi pushed her away roughly and clutched his eye, muscles spasm-ing in agony.

"No! Tell me what happened? Who was with you? Who did this?" Sakura demanded, green eyes piercing in their anxiety.

Itachi coughed, and nearly fell, if not for Sakura's supporting weight. She and he managed to stumbled their way back to the fire, where she helped him down, to settle his back against a rock. Still close enough to the fire to warm him, she summoned her chakra again.

"Who, Itachi?" Sakura asked in a hard tone.

"Uchiha Madara." He replied, wheezing as he looked up at her. Blood trailed down his eyes, as he released the Mangekyou, slate grey dull, and twitching and blood trickled from his lips, down his chin as he choked.

Sakura's eyebrows drew together, eyes wide. "Madara?" She whispered in horror.

"Aah." He replied, hand going to his eye the pulsing pain overcoming. "He is the true leader of Akatsuki." Itachi replied. Sakura grabbed the hand, stopping him.

Internal damage was extensive but now that Sakura knew who, she wasn't as surprised. He'd been lucky to escape with his life. Healing chakra flooded his organs, restoring the tissue. Grateful for him being alive, for not being left alone in this, Sakura held onto his sleeve, grip tightening.

"Tell me where it hurts" She murmured, brushing a stray piece of his choppy bangs from his face, green eyes alight with terrified worry.

Unable to fight her look, her worry, the pain excrutiating, he simply motioned towards his eye. His fingers twitched, as he avoided the impulse to clench and unclench them.

Sakura closed her eyes, concentrating her chakra on his eye sockets. The damage there was extensive as she'd originally thought on first meeting him. More than extensive. Itachi was going blind. Sakura bit her lip. Never had she thought she would be so conflicted over a man who was her enemy, supposed to be her enemy. Itachi rarely did anything that met her expectations, and just when she formed new ones he would shatter those without remorse. She was left with a dilemma. If she healed him, particularly his eyesight she would definitely be betraying Konoha, betraying any one else foolish enough to get in his path. She would put a weapon in his hands capable of destroying everything she loved. He would kill again and again without quelms or moral restraint and he had no love of Konoha. But she had healed him so many times before now. Blithely she had told him she wasn't betraying Konoha by doing so, and she had meant it, but he had- Madara and he had- It was different now that he had confirmed his stance.

"Sakura, do not waste your healing talents on me if it means betraying your sympathies." He told her with an exasperated tone, reading the expression on her face like words on a page.

"I thought you said that I lacked hate" She murmured, almost shy.

He had never been so open with her, and the fact that he was considering her feelings made her feel more giddy than she wanted to admit. The bubbly feeling in her heart and stomach were contradicting what her mind was telling her to do.

"You cannot hate me, you said it yourself." He retorted, coughing again into his hand. Blood and phlegm, not a pleasant sight. Sakura bit her lip, scowling. Itachi sighed.

"I do not wish for you to betray... others to save me. Your innocence is something I wish to remain...intact" He admitted hesitantly. It was well past time he was honest with her.

Sakura's eyes widened. It was the second compliment she had ever heard from him, and her eyes pooled with un shed tears as her smile lit, brilliant and bright. Blinking away her foolishness, she had no hesitation any longer. He was her partner, for however long and she needed him and she would be betraying that if she did not heal him.

Cooling chakra flowed to his eyes, the pain beneath them vanquished by her gentle touch. Skillful medical chakra, under her perfect control healed the bulbous swelling, the angry blood vessels in his eyes returning his retina's to their normal state, the nerves twitching in relief. Sakura analyzed the extent of the damage as she healed him. She could see the tear developing in his nerves, connecting the light that he took in all the way to his retina. She began to bolster the eye tissue, repairing the connection, and healing the scars impairing his sight. Itachi may have liked his scars, but these simply weren't healthy. The scar tissue was one of the reasons for his poor eyesight.

"I am not doing this to betray my country. I'm doing this because I'm your partner, Itachi and I need you alive. After this, I will return to Konoha and face whatever consequences there are for my actions. I'm doing this because... even if you won't tell me your reasons, I still trust you." She replied.

Itachi blinked, eyes clear, clearer than he had ever seen in years, and he turned his charcoal grey eyes to Sakura, summoning his Sharingan. It didn't hurt, and her face came into view clearly down to the very last detail in those green eyes of hers. Itachi was startled. She was beautiful, enchanting even in the light of the fire. Her pink hair which should have by all means been considerable annoying, obnoxious and loud was soft, pliable and supple as he threaded his hands in it, marveling at the vibrant colors that were found naturally there. Her face was soft, the creamy tan tones distinguishable and sublime in their coloring though there was some dirt there from their travels. He could see her, flaws and features, clearly and he blinked as if looking at her for the first time. In a way he was looking at her for the first time.

Sakura was enchanted at his own enchantment. He looked at her, really looked at her in awe, as if he'd never seen her before. Perhaps he was, Inner Sakura prompted and this truly startled the pinkette. His eyes could only take so much healing tonight, so she had dealt with the major effects of his pain, but it would take several more healing sessions before his vision would be completely perfect. Even still the difference was enormous, she could tell by the clarity in those crimson lenses. What she hadn't counted on, was the passion there too.

"You trust me?" He asked, confusion on his face.

It was adorable. Sakura couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips. Uchiha Itachi was not someone she would have ever expected to wear a look of confusion and he was so cute with it on. Sakura stopped her laughter, not wanting to offend him.

Serene green eyes met his clearly, and she simply nodded, smile still playing at the corners of her lips and alighting those green eyes in cascading vibrance.

"Foolish girl..." He murmured, and pulled her closer, fire reflecting in those Sharingan eyes of his.

Lips, tongues converged as the heat between them flared. Everywhere he touched sent spirals of heat coursing beneath her skin, pulling on her fragile heartstrings. Swift ache met his every move, Sakura couldn't remember feeling so unhinged, wanting to be unbridled by him. _She wanted, oh how she wanted. _

His kiss was passionate, but not demanding, and certainly not rushed. He was taking his time in savoring her, and Sakura was enjoying it, enjoying him to the fullest. Her hands coiled in his hair, releasing the hair tie that kept his raven tresses manageable and she took a secret pleasure in mussing it She threaded her fingers in his black locks, the feeling of it soft, silky even. The scent of him, of the sandalwood of the forest and his musky masculine scent escaped with his freed tresses and Sakura breathed in deeply lost in the feel, the taste of him.

"Sakura..." Itachi released his hold of her, pressing her back, away from him.

Sakura eyed him, wondering what ever could be his problem, now of all times?

"I wont let you do this to yourself" He told her firmly. Even now he was protecting her, trying to keep her at arms distance. Sakura would have laughed were the matter not so serious.

"I choose this along time ago, Itachi. I choose this when I left Konoha. I'm not under any false illusions or pretensions about this, about us. I don't expect anything, I merely offer myself in it's entirety." She told him sincerely.

He could not mistake her words, though he wished with everything he had that she had not said them, that she had not offered. It seemed she was his greatest temptation.

"And while I appreciate that offer, I am not inclined to take it." Itachi replied arms around her shoulders. She needed to understand this. They couldn't do this. Not now.

"_Love me,_ Itachi" She pleaded, locking her arms around his neck, breath hot and needy as she nibbled his ear.

Itachi felt his world grow undone, tangles unwinding in the chaos as something dark and primitive in him responded to her feeble words of desperation. He _wanted_ her, had wanted her from the beginning of this, if he were honest. She was offering herself to him, and there was a good chance they would not walk away from tomorrow alive. She was flesh and blood and warm and soft in all the ways he needed her to be and this... thing between them, whatever it was that drew them together, was only growing, becoming denser, burning hotter and brighter all the time. She was his, had made that clear from the start and he had made her his over the course of their time together, had forced her to stay with him. He could keep her at his side, by sealing their fate, by doing this.

"Please..." Sakura pleaded again, her words tearing at the defenses he'd kept from allowing this to happen. She was stripping him bare of his emotional guards as her hands hooked into his akatsuki cloak, opening it and pushing it off his shoulders, as she straddled him.

Itachi barely managed to suppress his strangled moan, as she kissed him hungrily. He snaked an arm around her waist, his other hand tangling in her hair, pulling her closer as things grew wild. She arched against him, she hissed against his hot mouth, writhing, pulsing, burning.

"Itachi.." She panted, and he thought he'd never heard such a beautiful sound coming off of her lips as he took another drag of her sweetness.

It was human and primitive of him, wanting to hear her say _his_ name in her heat, wanting her to desire him instead of his brother. Their first interaction she had said his brother's name and he had acted in his rage. The thought forced a possesive growl from him, as his hands pressed tight circles into her hip, spreading across the bone, to reach her delicious posterior. She gasped as he pulled her closer to his heat.

"Itachi..Itachi-wait-" She pleaded, and Itachi looked into her eyes. He saw the fear, the inexperience in her gaze.

"I- I've never done this before." She confessed awkwardly. "I'm just....the only guy I've been with like this has been Naruto- and-"

The name of her teammate had him seeing red. Pushing her off of him with her cry of protest, he stood on his feet painfully, grabbing his cloak.

Sakura stood, slumped and flabbergasted as she watched him glaring at her in vehemence.

"I-Itachi.." She began, confused, reaching out to him as she got to her feet. Itachi wanted nothing of it and side stepped the touch, turning from her.

"Wait!" She protested, grabbing his arm.

Itachi turned, harder and faster than she could have ever anticipated and suddenly she found herself retreating from his surmounting anger, from the aura of angry chakra surrounding him. Sakura wasn't as aware of her surroundings as she should have been and he practically pounced. She tripped over a log, falling to the ground and was surprised when he came down with her onto her. She cried out in pain, but he had hold of her wrists, grip bruising as he forced them back into the ground, body pinning hers to it. His knee between her thighs, forced them open, and he pressed forward before she could stop him, pressing ardently against her, grinding into her as he glared at her with unconcealed hate.

"Must you always talk of your tyrsts with other men with _me_, Sakura?" Itachi snarled in contempt, eyes full of fire.

Sakura's green eyes were wide with fright. "I didn't mean it like that-"She began

Itachi shut her up with his own lips, hard, demanding and commanding, commandeering her coherent thought as her mind fizzled and popped, electric tingles triggering her adrenaline. Oh gods she was afraid of him, afraid of his anger, of the coursing desire she felt overwhelming her in spite of his anger. But his anger was ruining this, ruining them. What should be done in desire, couldn't be done in anger. She didn't want him to channel his anger into this thing between them. Didn't want to be forced into this.

"The only name I want to hear you speak is_ mine_" Itachi snapped, words harsh, as she moaned, his lips dragging sweat torture up and down her throat as he unzipped her vest hastily.

A hand dug into the creamy flesh exposed and she cried out in pain and pleasure as he touched her, kneading into her flesh eliciting delicious moans and sounds she couldn't possibly hope to keep from him. His hands moved down over the planes of her stomach and beneath her skirt, at the waist band on her shorts.

"I-Itachi" She murmured, breath hot and panting against his neck, cheeks flaming, lips kiss swollen as she panted. "Please-don't-ah-" She gasped.

Itachi released her, as if he'd been burned by touching her, standing up and turning his back on her as he clenched his jaw. He rubbed his forehead, realizing he was touching the slash on his hitae ate wondering what she was doing to him.

Sakura stumbled to her feet, her knees feeling weak. She was disoriented, dizzy from the head rush, from his touch and she balanced herself, hugging him from behind.

"I've never been with anyone like this, Itachi. You're the only one that has touched me like that. And I'm afraid of it, afraid of you and...and this...and what you make me feel" She confessed, voice small and insignificant as she mumbled it into the silk of his cloak.

Itachi felt his resolve crumbling, hating the pitiful sound she made when she confessed to him. He turned, arms wrapping around her gently, as he examined her wrists, unsatisfied with the marks he'd left. Sakura simply blinked and her chakra had healed them. He felt her head, making an unsatisfied noise when he discovered the bump, but she healed that too. He hadn't meant to hurt her, hadn't meant to let these feelings consume him so readily. Hadn't meant to be so wretchedly jealous of someone who had a significant portion of her heart already in tow. Sakura gave of herself so freely, never realizing the cost, the price it cost others, for her goodness. She truly was naïve.

And Uchiha Itachi _was_ jealous, jealous of a teammate that held the keys to her heart so openly, that she gave her love to without consequence or remorse. He had seen the way she had treated him, had touched him. Uchiha Itachi was jealous of such openness, of feelings shared so easily, so willingly. The feeling overwhelmed his logical thought, his reason and he turned from himself, loathing his lack of control, of self restraint he was so famous for. He couldn't loose himself like this with Sakura. He couldn't surrender to these feelings. He couldn't give her this.

"I won't do this to you, Sakura." Itachi told her, touching her cheek, as he pushed tendrils of petal pink behind her ear.

"Why?" She asked, not understanding, of course.

"Because I can recognize that someone like myself doesn't belong in a world like yours" Itachi replied.

"Don't say that" She said, pushing her cheek against his hand that rested there, her hand falling on his as she embraced it, him. "Please don't do this"

"Yours world is a world of colors and hopes so bright it threatens the sun itself. I would only ruin that, Sakura. I would plunge you into a darkness so great and deep your light would extinguish and snuff out entirely. Ashes of the fire it once was. I won't do that to you. I can't. I would eclipse you and over take you immediately." Itachi told her, thumb brushing the stray tear that escaped.

"Or I might shine brighter in the darkness, as bright as the stars. Itachi, please don't push me away." Sakura begged, hands fisting in the black shirt.

He kissed her swiftly, feelings stirring beneath his skin. "We can not do this, Sakura. And further more, we need to discuss whats going to happen tomorrow. Madara came with his theatrics to tell me that I must bring you to the valley's end tomorrow morning or he will kill you."

Sakura's hold tightened. "I'm going with you."

"No, you are not." Itachi replied firmly. "Please understand, Sakura. I cannot let him have you." He told her.

"Then we wont. If I don't go with you, he'll simply come and find me. So let's defeat him. Together." Sakura said, eyes firm as she interlaced her hand in his. Itachi was shocked by her boldness.

"He is the most powerful ninja I have ever encountered, Sakura quite possibly the most powerful ninja in existence. This is no game or jest. He is more than capable of killing me and anyone who stands against him."

"and You are the only one who can face him because you know him. You were half blind, tonight. I can make sure you are able to face him" Sakura retorted.

Her belief in him, her faith as it were, flattered him. And she had a significant point. His eyesight before was nothing of what is was now, of what she had done, and he knew what to expect from Madara. Itachi looked thoughtful. Madara would expect him to grovel. He wouldn't be looking for a fight from them.

"You can't do this without me. I won't let you. You've taken me this far, Itachi. If you won't trust me, then trust the work you've done in me. Give me that, at least." Sakura told him green eyes firm.

Itachi sighed, weary of it all, the weight of everything. Things were drawing to a close and moving too fast for even his eyes to catch all the details. It was unraveling faster than he could follow and he feared this lack of control, this haste. One thing was certain though. He couldn't let Sasuke go unavenged, regardless of his feelings about his little brother. His brother had done nothing wrong, nothing to deserve dying, particularly at the hands of the Uchiha Patriarch. This was his chance to go after Madara, to finish what had started so long ago. Even if that meant sacrificing himself, and Sakura with him.

"Alright." He agreed. Sakura beamed at him.

And the two began to talk, to formulate plans until well into the night. Sakura rose to feed the fire, and they cooked their own packed rations, spreading their bed rolls as they talked. Dinner finished, they were still planning, Sakura next to him, sitting as their conversation ranged on and on. There was so much to talk about, methods of fighting, effective attacks and defenses, things to keep in mind about the nature of Madara. Sakura yawned, her eyes fighting to stay open. This was the most she'd ever heard from Itachi, the most he'd dared to share with her, and she was fighting desperately to hear him.

Itachi wasn't blind to her tiredness, but this was important. He had never talked so much at one point in time, couldn't recall a time in any event and his throat was nearly hoarse. He took a sip of water from his rations, and he realized that Sakura was asleep, nestled against the log. Her mouth was slightly ajar, but she didn't snore, her soft breaths making her chest rise and fall. Ninja who snored didn't make it through the night, or so the saying went so the fact wasn't surprising. Itachi sighed, running a hand through his mussed hair, the mess the little sprite asleep by his side had made and a smirk tugged at his features. His enigma, this slip of a kunoichi. Refusing to think about tomorrow, for tomorrow had it's own worries, Itachi wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close, as he tugged his cloak off. She shifted in her sleep, but did not wake, and he draped it around the both of them closing his eyes and enjoying the comfort of having someone so warm so close.

It was ironic, really, that Itachi had discovered the joy of proximity the night before his alleged and almost certain death.

* * *

Sakura's eyelids fluttered, and she felt something warm around her. Blinking the sleep away, she realized she was on Itachi's bedroll, with his cloak draped around her and that morning had broken. Something smelled delicious. Over the fire, their porridge was cooking, but it looked like Itachi had gathered berries and added some spices to it. She rose, the morning chill causing an involuntary shudder. Itachi stood near the concoction, stirring it.

Charcoal grey met her own, holding a thousand things left unspoken. Sakura blushed under his heated gaze. He rose.

"Good Morning." He greeted. "I trust you are well rested."

She nodded shyly, and offered her hand. He took it, surprisingly, and brought it up to his own, brushing a chaste kiss on her knuckles.

"It ends today." He told her. She nodded, fingers snaring in her red vest, absent of it's konoha symbols.

He placed his hand under her chin, eying her. She looked up into his eyes willingly, her heart entrenched within their depths. The look made his own eyes darken, and he brought her into a searing kiss. His kiss tasted of sadness, of parting, farewell and sorrow and far too many things left unsaid, undiscovered. Sakura poured herself out into his kiss, tangling her hands in his hair, pressing herself against him as if she could sink into him. And to make sure she couldn't sink through him if she pressed enough. Itachi was real. He was real and this was real, and it just wasn't fair. Itachi's kiss gentled, and softened, and finally he released her to catch her breathe, as he filled the bowls for breakfast.

Sakura healed his eyes one more time, pouring a significant amount of chakra into them as she worked on the extensive tissue damage. Her chakra would be recovered by the time she arrived, so it made sense and gave him a greater tool to strike down Madara with. They would need all the help they could get. He was grateful for her adminstrations, a final kiss sealing their fate.

Breakfasted, well slept, all of their gear in perfect order, stretched and ready, as prepared as they could be for such an excursion, the two took off in silent haste, towards a doom they could no longer prolong. Today it would end, the question underlying the circumstances was exactly who would meet their tragic fate. Sakura prayed to whatever gods would hear her that it wouldn't be them.

* * *

The Valley of the ends, roared to life, the spray from the water fall filling the air with a chilling mist, a fog of was still early, though the clouds, the sky itself was grey. Of course Madara would choose a place of his past, a place he was hoping to redeem with today's victory. Itachi's eyes narrowed. They would stop him. It would end today. Sakura exchanged a determined glance, and nodded in approval, following him as they searched for Madara. Making their way further into Konoha's territory, they found what they were looking for. Green eyes stared in horror at the sight apt before her.

It wasn't possible. It simply wasn't real. Sakura tried to counter the genjutsu but nothing happened. This was real.


	27. Ambition

AN: Sorry that I left this hanging so long. I just wanted to be sure of what I had written, plus I moved back to the island so internet has been sparse as of late. I had a lot of things planned and they sort of fell through. I decided to let the chapter write itself and see if it flowed well. Sakura's uselessness continues to piss me off so it's inspiring me to write more.

Props to Venus Star 2 com for picking up on the subtle hints given in previous chapters. If you were wondering the majority of this chapter's content was always going to happen like this. …........................................................................................................................

"_Ambition breaks the ties of blood and forgets the obligations of gratitude"-Sallust-_

"Welcome Itachi, and of course your dear Sakura san." Madara's voice was sinister and intentional to inflict pain but they were too stunned to register it, too focused, paraylzed on seeing the person behind them to really hear his words.

"I've found someone who's simply _dying_ to see you" Madara snickered as he stepped aside. The cloak was caste off.

Jade eyes widened and Sakura felt her mouth gape open wide, shocked to the very core. It was impossible. It couldn't be. It just _couldn't be._

But it was. They were there. This was real. She blinked, wishing it all away, wishing that she wasn't standing exactly where she was, wishing that_ he_ wasn't there. Madara stepped behind him, a sinister presence looming over him, overshadowing him as _he_ faded into the background. It was_ his_ fault. All of this.

But it was true…He was alive. His chakra signature was clear, present. All of those tears she'd cried over him, the grief, the pain, the loss. Naruto's pain, Kakashi sensei's pain, Sai and Yamato's pain. Her pain. It was _exactly_ what he had planned. From the very fucking beginning. Suddenly everything fell into place. She had been led here, had been factored into the plan at every step of the way. She had been _used_, expected and anticipated. She and Itachi were supposed to be standing here at the Valleys end, with them. There was no move that wasn't uncalculated, wasn't planned. Numb, shaken, Sakura closed her eyes, shutting her mouth as her hands clenched into a fist, turning white as her knuckle muscles sought to escape their epidermal binds.

She bit her lip so hard she could taste the blood flowing into her mouth. Jade crystallized, threatening tears, but _no_._ No_, She would _not _shed any more tears. Sakura had cried enough, had spent her life in tears over this man and he would receive no more from her. She had nothing left to give, no tears left for this man. And suddenly the issue that had overcome her at every step along the way, her feelings for this man broke. The teathered lines flew free from their strainful bond and Sakura sucked in a sharp breathe of air. Real air.

It was done. The ties that had held her, the fraying ends she had held together for so long. No longer. The tearing fabric, the threading ends of their bonds were _broken_ in that moment. No more. _Never_ again. It was the point of no return. Sakura had cut the ties that held and bound her. So her tears hardened to jade glass, red rimming the green to make them that much brighter, that much more intense as her teeth ground together jaw clenching with her grinding, so tight that she could feel the enamel rubbing together.

"Sasuke" Itachi said mildly, as if he wasn't surprised at all that his little brother had some how miraculously come back from the dead. That his body hadn't somehow been forged, or made over, though the implications boggled Sakura's mind at the extent of detail he must have gone to, to insure this little coup happened. They needed a body that would fool her shishou.

He couldn't fool her, though he might be able to deceive his little brother. The two were night and day, an eclipse of each other. But Sakura knew better by the slight tension he held in his shoulders, his back facing her. It was a fraction of a movement, not something anyone who wasn't familiar with the stoic s class criminal would pick up on. She wondered if Sasuke knew. She fixed her hardened stare upon the man she had loved, the man she now hated more than anything else. The man who had left and never come back. The man who had faked his death because of his stupid stupid hatred for a man that was...that was not the monster of a man he claimed to be, that he let everyone else believe he was. Itachi wasn't what Sasuke thought he was, what she had thought he was. Shocked that she was drawing her line in the sand, that she'd drawn her line in the sand so long ago, when she'd first agreed to this, Sakura spoke out.

"How dare you" Sakura uttered, tone accusing and hard as she glared her hatred upon the man she had been obcessed with for so long. Gods she was angry. Upset didn't cover it.

Sasuke merely smirked, corners of his mouth upturning in his haughty look, eyes narrowing as he looked on his former teammate.

"Sakura" His smirk darkened until a sneer twisted on his handsome face. How had she ever thought him lovely?

"Excellent. You can heal me after I rip my brother apart piece by piece." Sasuke said dismissively.

He hadn't expected her, then. But now he was anticipating her teaming up with him? Like nothing was wrong. Like nothing had changed. Like she was the same lovesick girl that would follow him into the darkness.

Sakura's heart clenched in agony. So he expected her to side with him, did he? There was no sense of failure, of rejection in his tone. Arrogantly, he demanded. Confidently, he assumed. He didn't even bother ask, he simply came expecting her service. He expected her to roll over for him, as she had done in the past. She closed her eyes, hurt making her recoil. How dare he. _How dare he, SHANNARO!!!_, after what he'd done.

"No." she ground out.

Sasuke's Sharingan eyes widened in surprise as he refocused on her. Perhaps he thought he hadn't heard correctly. Sakura would make sure he heard_ this_ time. He would hear her words she vowed. She would make him understand it.

"There's no chance in _hell_ I would help a traitor like you _Shannaro_!" Sakura snarled, jade eyes intent to kill as her clenched fists shook at her sides with fury.

Sasuke was surprised by the ferocity, the intensity of her chakra, of her expression. Gone was the bonds of their team, of any affection held for him. She was as any ninja who regarded him as her enemy. She meant what she said. She meant to kill judging by the intensity of her ki.

"You really mean it" Sasuke said, sounding surprised. "You choose an interesting time to grow up, Sakura" He said somewhat mollified.

"Grow up? Grow up?! You arrogant son of a bitch-" Sakura snarled.

Itachi's hand halted whatever she was going to do and she bit off strangled words of hate. Because giving into her anger wouldn't help them now. She closed her eyes, trembling and took a deep breath. Jade eyes, hardened and re focused returning his look.

"You bastard. Is this how _you've_ grown up? Tricking everyone into thinking that you're dead so you can lure your brother out." Sakura said.

"You have to admit, it was a genius plan, Sakura." Sasuke said with a smirk as took a swipe of the air with his blade, crouching.

"It's underhanded and shallow, I'll say that much" Sakura retorted with a sneer. She couldn't believe him.

"Sakura, you still haven't changed after all these years. Still so annoying." He chided. Sakura bit off a strangled choke. But the words were enough to make him rise from his crouch.

"You're still naive. You never believed anything I said to you. I told you I would sacrifice my body, everything that I was and had for my revenge, Sakura. Nothing more, and nothing less." Sasuke replied, red sharingan eyes whirling in their intensity, blade tomoe spinning like blades.

"Then why Madara? Why associate with someone who helped Itachi murder the Uchiha?" Sakura snapped pointing at the orange masked menace behind him.

"Because he's the only one strong enough to help me kill him." Sasuke replied.

"He helped kill your family! How can you side with the murderor of your clan?" Sakura cried.

"Because he's the only one with enough strength to stop him. It's sick poetic justice isn't it? The man who helped kill my clan will help me kill my brother and take his eyes."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. So that was the exchange for Sasuke's cooperation with this. Stupid _foolish_ little brother. Madara would take the eyes for himself and slaughter Sasuke and any one else in the way. Madara wanted his eyes because of the untapped potential.

"And then what? You become a pawn in his schemes for world domination?! Sasuke you're drowning in yourself! You're better than this and there's so much you don't understand about the situation." Sakura cried.

"Spare me. It's you who don't understand" Sasuke replied.

"Sasuke kun, Don't _do _this!" Sakura choked on the endearing term, felt the tears but they refused to be shed. It wasn't fair. It shouldn't have been like this. Sasuke was out of his mind! He didn't understand. Sakura had to make him see reason.

"It's too late." Sasuke replied softly, the last of his emotional ties to their bond as he severed it.

"Enough. Let's finish this" Itachi interjected as he eyed Madara.

"I couldn't agree more-" Madara cackled, but Sasuke stepped forward, drawing his sword.

"I'm not finished yet." Sasuke snapped, eyes lighting dangerously as he glared at Madara.

Madara simply chuckled and extended his hand forward allowing Sasuke to continue. The bastard was amused by this situation.

"Don't think I don't know about you, Nii-san" Sasuke exclaimed. "Madara told me all about your little 'mission'."

Itachi froze, fists slowly clenching as the fire in his eyes ignited. The density of his chakra changed, molding, hardening.

"You killed them under orders of the Sandaime himself, didn't you, Nii san? The kind old man actually having a spine was quite.. amusing to discover actually. But we all had to grow up and out of our illusions, didn't we? Including you!" Sasuke quipped.

Sakura's eyes widened as she stared at Itachi feeling her legs tremble threatening to give way. Sandaime oji...? Order the Uchiha Massacre? How could that be? He would never order something like that...would he? Sakura felt her stomach turn.

The something was missing from this. The something that she didn't understand. The something that Itachi had kept from her. But Sandaime agreeing to something of that scale? There was a lot she'd never known about the Sandaime, but he would have never agreed to the elimination of the Uchiha. But why would Sasuke lie? And of all the people to know, it would have been Uchiha Madara, the man that had been there.

"Culling the clan to keep them from revolting. And then your inability to kill me in the end. You used the Mangekyou that night because you hoped I'd grow strong enough to end you myself. Its quaint really. Beneath your pretense of being an S class criminal, and an emotionless murderer, you're just a useless leaf nin after all." Sasuke sneered.

"Itachi..."Sakura turned, grabbed the sleeve of his Akatsuki cloak. "Is it true? You were _ordered_ to kill them?" Sakura's eyes held the agony.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed at their obvious bond. "So you two are... involved." He seemed to twitch on the last remark.

"It's not true." Itachi replied, though whether that was answering Sasuke or her, Sakura wasn't sure. Itachi refused to face her.

"He's right" Madara said. "After Itachi had been ordered to kill his clan of upsurpers, he left Konoha for good, but he never forgot his loyalty, _did_ you, Itachi kun? He turned to me to help him, the only one with enough power to cull the clan because he lacked the power then to do it himself. He wanted to keep the Uchiha clan from being shamed forever in history, even if it meant killing them with his own hands...well our own hands" Madara said. It was as if he was talking about some simple task, not the massacre of the Uchiha clan.

Sakura choked. Madara and Sasuke had no reason to lie. Itachi however was displaying everything he had fought so hard to hide, to conceal from her. This _was _what he had hid from her. What he had refused to tell her. Konoha had ordered the deaths of the Uchiha clan all along. Sasuke would have died that night, should have died that night so long ago. Itachi had let him live. Why?

"Poor little leaflet, so lost and confused. You were simply strung along in this little opera of ours. He's been trying to find a way to kill me since he joined Akatsuki." Madara said with pity.

Sakura's breath caught in her throat. Itachi murdered his family under orders from the Hokage. Her mind spun. Konoha had ordered their deaths. The Uchiha clan had been trying to mutiny. Itachi couldn't do it alone and had gone to Madara for help. But Itachi had kept his little brother alive. Why? Why had he kept Sasuke alive when he had killed everyone else? And then it hit her. Itachi couldn't kill Sasuke. Itachi _loved_ his little brother. But what was the end goal? And then it occurred to her, making her sick with nausea. Itachi wanted to die by his brother's hand. Itachi had orchestrated his entire life so that his brother would grow stronger. So that he could die by his brother's own hands. Sakura felt the bile rise in her throat and she covered her mouth to keep it from coming up. The horror! And now the worst of all Sasuke was siding with his families murderer to kill Itachi. His plan had backfired on him in the worst of ways.

Itachi's fist clenched. "Foolish little brother. You are truly weak to turn to someone like Madara, in an attempt to defeat me."

Sasuke's Sharingan eyes narrowed. "You left me with little choice, Nii san. And I am no longer weak. I will avenge our parents. You will die today and I will scatter your ashes to the four winds. And after that I don't really care what happens." Sasuke snarled.

"Rest assured, after you die, Konoha will pay for what it's done to the Uchiha." Madara replied. "It was Konoha's fault that his parents died."

No. No this couldn't be happening. Itachi and Sasuke were going to kill each other. All while Madara watched. Sakura couldn't stand around and do nothing. She wouldn't be helpless though what she could do against her ex teammate and the patriarch of the Uchiha clan, she wasn't sure. She could feel Itachi's chakra and the words came.

"Sasuke! Your parents were traitors going to revolt against the Hokage! Don't you understand? Your brother was acting out of duty, loyalty to Konoha." Sakura cried as the last clue fell into place. "Can't you see that he didn't have a choice?"

"Everyone has a choice, Sakura. He chose to accept the mission. He killed my parents himself, I watched him. He made me watch him, and then he used the mangekyou to torture me into reliving it. Konoha allowed it! I will kill him, I will avenge my parents and then help Madara destroy Konoha."

"You're directing your anger at Itachi, when it's Madara you should be angry with! Don't do this, Sasuke!" Sakura pleaded.

"Enough. I'm resolved in this, Sakura."

"Stop it, Sakura." Itachi ordered. "Can't you see that he wont hear you? He's deluded himself, so lost in his vengeance that he can't see clearly any longer. He's lost sight of all reason" Itachi murmured to her, tone sharp with his own pain.

Sakura felt her heart sink in despair. Sasuke had been lost, and had only ceased to get himself more lost along the way.

"The time for words has passed." Itachi replied, summoning his chakra.

"I couldn't say it better" Madara replied. "Let's finish this"

"STOP!" A voice cried. Every set of eyes turned to the new comer.

Deidara stood resplendent as he glared his fury. "The only one that gets a crack at killing Itachi is me."

Madara said nothing. Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"Another one of yours" He turned an irritated sneer towards Madara.

"He's Akatsuki, if that's what you're asking, but I doubt he's here on Akatsuki business" Madara retorted.

Deidara's eyes narrowed. "Don't ignore me, yeah. And fuck Akatsuki. I was forced in here, by that self righteous prick!" He snarled pointing to Itachi. "I'm done with this bullshit though" and he ripped off his Akatsuki cloak, spitting in Madara's direction. "I'm the only one who's going to kill that asshole Itachi, yeah, and nobody else uhn."

Sakura could have slapped her hand to her face. Deidara, of all people challenging Madara and Sasuke himself at the absolute worst of times...

Sasuke stepped forward. "Very well. If you're seeking your death then I'll gladly give it to you" He said, Sharingan whirling. Itachi stepped forward, eyes narrowed as he summoned his chakra.

"Don't you fucking interfere, you goddamn Uchiha bastard. This has nothing to do with you." Deidara snapped finger pointed at him as he stepped forward.

"I could say the same thing" Itachi returned eyes narrowed. "I don't need you to fight my battles for me."

"I'm not fighting _for _you, asshole. I'm fighting for _me_, to fight you. I'm gonna smear your brother's blood across this canyon and then yours after it." Deidara retorted.

Itachi simply shook his head. Sakura grabbed his arm. "It's not worth it." She told him green eyes weary.

Itachi hesitated for a second, then nodded. Deidara would have fought anyways. His blood was his own, and on his own hands, not Itachi's. Besides if Deidara could weaken his brother, or force Madara to intercede, then they might have a chance. He would accept the help.

"Big words. You'll be eating them shortly" Sasuke told him.

"One Uchiha is about as useless as the next. And you don't know the first thing about me, Yeah." Deidara replied, launching forward.


	28. Battle

AN: Short update because it's been a while. The reason for the update was your wonderful reviews. Thank you to those who have been with me on this story through it all, and for the new friends I've made along the way. You all are amazing and inspire me with your words of encouragement to continue, to press on and into my writing. Someday I hope to write something sellable. We shall see. This is the first fight scene I've written that I really don't care about because it's already been done and that slightly urks me. I highlighted and cut to the chase with this battle scene. The others will be better, trust me, because they'll be my own.

_ "Battle doesn't need a purpose. Battle is its own purpose. You don't ask why a field burns or a plague spreads. Don't ask why I fight." -Anonymous-_

Sasuke panted, cuts burning from explosions that had nearly got him. He had played it smart with the crazed akatsuki artist trying to gadge his skill. He had to admit that the dragon the blonde had summoned and he had defeated was impressive but it couldn't last. Made completely out of that particular clay, with those two creepy hands of his. This Deidara was good, but there was simply nothing for fighting an Uchiha. Sasuke wasn't about to loose the opportunity to defeat Itachi once and for all. Sasuke grinned a maniacly sick twisted grin. He had the blonde cornered right where he wanted him and he had walked right into it.

Blurring into high speed, sword raised high as he walked into the genjutsu, Sasuke made ready to lop his head off. Deidara however only glared

…...

Those eyes. Those goddamned eyes _again_. They mocked him, as they had mocked him in his youth. They degraded his art, downplayed the beauty of it, by dissecting it like some goddamned biology experiment. There was no art to what this half rated Uchiha was doing by using those eyes. He was simple, it was analytical, cold and impractical and using those sharingan eyes in a weak ass genjutsu to sever his attacks. Further more, and even more insulting was that he was using borrowed power from Orochimaru's left overs to compensate with his cursed seal. Fool, didn't he realize he was just doing the same thing as that leech of a sannin? Deidara would blow the shit out of him. Literally and figuratively.

"That won't work on me, Uchiha" Deidara told him with a twisted grin.

Sasuke's sharingan eyes whirled, tomoe sharp blades of black in contrast with the red. "Chee" He replied.

Deidara grinned. "I said That's not gonna work on me, dip shit" He told him. "and now I'm gonna finish this, Yeah" He chomped down on his clay, gorging as he summoned his chakra.

"Oh?" Madara, formerly known as Tobi commented, as he looked upon his blonde former compatriot, realizing what was at work here.

"Kurura" Itachi commented, eyes watching it all with passing interest.

"Kurura?" Sakura asked frowning. This wasn't good. The situation was already complicated, layers built on layers, and she had no idea who to root for, if there were even clear cut sides to this fight any longer. But she couldn't help the old feelings she felt brimming on the surface. She bit her lip. _Sasuke..._

"We need to retreat to a safer location" Itachi told her, red eyes whirling as he frowned brows furrowed at the battle.

"Surely he can't be that formidable?" Sakura replied. Deidara was S class admittedly, but he couldn't be as good as Sasuke.

Itachi didn't reply, merely began to move with haste. Fortunately Sakura seemed to sense the urgency of the situation and did not fight him, she followed.

"He's gathering up enough chakra to send this portion of the land into the sea below" Itachi told her as they retreated. Madara's eyes never left their figures as he followed them in a parallel line. Whether he was following to make sure they didn't try to escape, or escaping himself from the crazed artists attack, they couldn't tell.

They were a reasonable distance away, Madara's lone figure watched them, unflinching in the face of Deidara's attack..

"We could finish our battle now." He told Itachi knowing that even through their distance the boy could hear him. "But I'm afraid our dear Sasuke kun would never forgive me for taking your miserable life from him. So I suppose we shall simply have to wait. I'd hate for you to miss this part. After all, Deidara's death is because of you. Like your precious Sakura, he will share the same fate." He told him.

Itachi made no reply, merely turned to Sakura who was watching the fight. She stared in wonder at the blonde who fell over to his knees, palms digging into the ground. Deidara began to vomit, profusely splatters of clay raining out of his mouth. How was it possible that he had that much clay in him? The clay began to take shape, and Sakura was horrified as she looked upon the likeness that was several stories tall.

A giant Deidara stood in the clearing, and even Madara's attention was on the assumed clay bomb projectile.

Sasuke's eyes widened and he fled as quickly as he possibly could as the giant Deidara expanded, eyes bulging until it finally exploded the air whirling around them with it's force.

"SASUKE!" Sakura cried, despite herself, but Itachi held her back, summoning chakra around them.

Deidara's technique was clever he would give him that. The huge likeness of himself had merely been a rouse, for the microscopic bombs that invaded the air, concealed by the explosions blast, but his sharingan could see them, and thus therefore his own little brother could see them, the chakra's colors scattered across the scene like tiny firelies. Sasuke would have to be blind not to see them. Sakura's concern was needless.

"Don't" he told her, with a shake of his head. Disapointment, that's what this feeling was. Disapointment in her lack of faith in Sasuke. Perhaps tinged with jealousy for her deep concern for him. Itachi felt his eyebrow twitch at the forming of a frown.

The girl looked like she was in agony, and her lip was bleeding where she'd bit it too hard. Was she still so concerned over him? The genjutsu of his brother being disintegrated by the tiny bombs was realistic enough, but surely she knew this wasn't the end? He brushed his fingers across her lip, pulling a healing technique over the surface area as those eyes lids fluttered, looking at him with confusion. Even now, at the end of all things, he wanted to reassure her. Weakness...she was weakness, his weakness, and he couldn't deny it any longer. The movement forced them both to focus back on the fight at hand. Deidara flew on his clay bird, victorious as he crooned in delight like a rooster proclaiming the dawn, the dust settling and Sasuke's chakra undetectable in the midst of the forest.

"He will be alright." Itachi told her pointing as he could feel his brother, though his chakra signature was not there. The innate sense that bound one by blood, by the ties of family was deep, deeper than anyone could realize. He wondered if Sasuke had such a sense and then shook it off. Sasuke had never cared for anyone or anything except himself. Perhaps that had been Itachi's mistake, in indulging him.

Deidara laughed maniacly proclaiming his art victoriously from his clay vantage point. That was until he felt the hand slide through his skin, straight through his heart as he gasped in pain. Choking, he turned to look at Sasuke with wide blue eyes, bloodshot in their intensity.

"T-those eyes" Deidara snarled as he trembled.

"It was simple to avoid the bombs; all colored with chakra with these eyes of mine. I don't give a damn about this fight, but you're in my way, and I _will _be the one to kill Itachi. So get out of my way already and _Die._" He ordered, eyes narrowed as he wrenched his hand further. Deidara choked on the pain. Suddenly Deidara began to laugh, maniacly, and the image in front of him melted away.

"A clay clone?" Sasuke exclaimed, eyes wide as a hand gripped his ankle.

"I don't fall for the same trick twice uhn. Itachi used the same move on me once. And you're nothing but a copy cat novice no matter who you trained with. You're finished, Yeah" He told him vomitting out another caricature of himself in clay. It attached to Sasuke as he writhed, trying to fight it as it expanded.

"Play time is over." Deidara replied as he ripped off his shirt, cutting the stitches that were covering an opening on his chest, revealing a mouth.

Sasuke's eyes widened as he struggled against the bomb.

"Always degrading my art, always being so goddamned critical. I'm in your way, am I? MY art is in your way, is it?I won't stand for it, uhn! I will become the ultimate art. We'll both go out with a bang, kukuku!" He cried, eyes bloodshot as they widened in his crazed face.

Itachi winced, pulled Sakura closer, as the explosion rocked the country side. The side of the cliff where they had been standing at the start of this battle, and where Sasuke had been was gone, crashing into the waters below them. The statue of Madara and the 1st still miraculously stood, but Itachi suspected that he'd had a hand in that. Madara was far too vain of a creature to allow his own likeness to be destroyed, but perhaps that was Deidara's charm, his selflessness and self sacrificial mindset for a bigger dream.

Deidara had always been too much of an idealist,a dreamer, his biggest flaw. He wanted things his way, or nothing at all. He was willing to sacrifice all that he was to achieve his goals. The same flaw that stood in the woman who held onto him, as he held onto her. He would have to protect her, not only from Madara but from herself as well, and yet this was a burden he surprisingly wanted to bear. He wanted to protect her, despite it all. But that was naïve at best. They probably wouldn't live past this. If this was all he had, if this was all that was left, then he would hold on till the very end. He could do nothing more, nothing less than put one foot in front of the other. Drawing her close, he kissed her softly, the dust settling around them. She was warm, so very warm.

…...

Sakura's eyelids fluttered open from his kiss, and she felt _his_ chakra signature. Breaking from his hold, she gasped at what she saw. Sasuke stood, stepping out of a the giant snake summons.

"Manda!" She gasped as she watched the snake king curse Sasuke with his dying breathe.

"Insolent child, I'm dying-ahg-" Manda snarled, hitting the ground.

"Clever. The only way he could possibly keep the cursed seal intact. He's hoping it will be enough to defeat me, though he has expended quite a bit of his chakra to get him this far." Itachi commented, eyes cold and focused on the battle ahead.

Sakura's eyes narrowed. His haori had been blown off, revealing hardened muscles slightly singed from his battle, still bearing his hakama with the tattered ropes Orochimaru had bequethed to him. Yet he was still standing, sword in hand. _Sasuke..._

"Madara" He called.

"Yes, Sasuke kun?" Madara's falsetto saccharine voice answered him.

"I want it." He told him simply his voice arrogant and commanding.

Madara locked gazes with him, orange mask still hiding his expression, but the tension was palatably tangible between the two. For a moment, they might have fought each other. Those sharingan eyes were locked in a battle deadlier than Sasuke could possibly fathom. But Madara only grinned, the soft high pitched chuckling severe. The mask shifted with his expression, the only way of telling he was smiling. With a flick of his fingers, he summoned Zetsu, calling upon the s class akatsuki member. The plant man split into the two halves, crawling through the floor.

"You called?" Zetsu's voices echoed.

"Replenish him." Madara ordered.

Zetsu didn't reply, but both Sakura and Itachi felt the burst of chakra that entered into Sasuke's body as the akatsuki member got to work. The plant like ninja had somehow restored Sasuke's chakra to full. His wounds were completely healed, as if Deidara had never even touched him. Sasuke's eyes took on a crazed look as he smiled.

"I will not be defeated so easily, Aniki." Sasuke told him sneering, sword clenched in his hand.

"Foolish little brother. It was not your power that did this." Itachi replied.

"But it was my chakra all the same. And it will be my chakra, replenished in full, that tears you asunder." Sasuke snarled.

This was it. Itachi sighed, shaking his head at the outcome of events. It had come to this.

Sakura's entire body felt hot, then cold, paralyzed as she watched his fists clench beneath his cloaked sleaves. He would do this. Oh gods. It was happening. He would see it through all the way to the end. He was resolved to finish this, for it all to end this way. She could see it in his eyes, in the way he was summoning his resolve. He threw his ponytail over his shoulder with a turn of his head, sharingan eyes alight for the coming battle.

No. No. _No._ This couldn't be happening. They were going to fight. They were going to kill each other. She couldn't let that happen, but what could she do? Her feet were frozen to the ground beneath her, planted like a tree. This was the same paralyzing fear, that had held her when Naruto and Sasuke had fought on the rooftop, when she should have acted in the forest of death, instead of letting others fight her battles for her, when she should have run after Sasuke instead of shutting down and crying like the little girl she'd been. When she thought she'd failed him at his death.

"NO!" She shouted, as she rose, her feet coming alive. Itachi turned to regard her, surprise mirrored on his face, even Sasuke seemed frozen, surprised by her sudden outburst.

"No." She repeated as she walked to _him_.

Itachi eyed her. Was she betraying him? Was she turning from him, now at the end of all things? Itachi shook the thought off. Of course not. He knew what she wanted to do; what she was going to do with or without his approval. It made sense, really. She wanted satisfaction. She wanted retribution. She wanted redemption, cleansing for every moment that she had failed in her lifetime. She wanted to prove her strength, though whether that was to him or to Sasuke, he didn't know. She wanted to fight Sasuke. She wanted to win. This was what he had trained her for. What she had spent their short time together preparing herself for. And the selfish part of him wanted to hold her back, wanted to keep her close, keep her protected and safe behind him. But Sakura didn't want his protection. Sakura couldn't break out of the shell she'd encased herself in, if he protected her. This was the final test, the point of no return. Sakura would have to have her trial by fire, to win, or be broken, shattered by the man that had held her down and held her back at every step of the way. Sakura would either kill him, or die by his hands, the hands of the man she loved.

Itachi flinched on the thought, hating those words, and what they meant to the girl who had come to mean so much more than he ever wanted to admit. Begrudgingly Sakura had dug in deep within him, bringing out things he didn't want to remember he felt. She made him feel, and he wasn't sure if he could ever love again, but she made him want to try and he wasn't sure who he loathed more for it, himself or her. If he stopped her, he would satisfy these primitive needs, these emotions that called to protect that which was so very precious to him. He would also loose her, loose everything he had built up within her, everything that made her such an enigma, that strength that was also so weak. If he stopped her she would most surely die, the light that burned in those eyes would snuff out entirely and she would decay from within, defeated by the weakness that she couldn't seem to shed. If he let her go, if he let her do this, then she would most surely die by Sasuke's hands. He would die anyways, and he had accepted his own death, but to have to watch her die before him, to watch that life snuffed out so quickly after such desperation, almost forced his hand. Almost.

Sakura walked forward, drawing her swords. Every bone in her body hummed, resonated. This was it, the point of no return. She knew this battle would happen, had prepared for it with Itachi. Itachi froze, flinched and made as if to stop her, but he paused, conflicted. Itachi heisitated and he never heisitated. Sakura knew the feeling so well. She could no longer afford such a luxury. She couldn't sit this one out. She couldn't let another person fight a battle for her, though it touched her that one such as himself wanted to. She knew what that meant for him, what it meant to her, for him to be so...endearing. He was endearing.

But she had to do this, no matter what the consequences were. She could not let them kill each other, she knew it now with every fibre of her being. Sasuke was wrong, had been wrong all along. She had been wrong, but now she would set things right, even if they only were between herself and her own troubled soul. She would be on the right side, die on the right side if need be. She would do what she should have done long ago. She would stand up and stand between them. They would have to go through her to get to each other. She loved them, she loved them both, deeply, deeper than anything else. She loved them, but each she loved differently, and it seemed to make sense in that moment, to fall together in some beautiful tragic mosaic, painting their pictures better than reality ever could.

Sakura strode forward, and Itachi walked a few feet away, but still at her side. Sakura locked eyes with him, her words saying a thousand things they'd never said, never had time to say, but they also told him that she was going to do this. Somehow he knew when she looked at him. She was always going to do this, and it was why he had fought it so hard, had fought her so hard. It was in Sakura's nature to give of herself, even if that meant everything for what she believed in. She believed in him, more firmly than she had ever believed before. He was the only truth she had. And she was willing to fight, to give her last dying breathe for him. So incredibly foolish. So incredibly weak. Such strength.

"You block my way" Sasuke stated, voice cold as Sakura stepped forward.

She nodded, eyes sad, but firm, determined, more determined than he had ever remembered Sakura being in their entire childhood. His mind motioned for a fraction of a second, that she had changed, perhaps. But this too was an illusion. Sakura was weak, sentimental and easy to manipulate. His brother always let others fight his battles for him. This was no different.

"I can't let you do it, Sasuke." She practically whispered, but he could read the words off of her lips, understanding her clearly though several yards stood between them, though the ground was closing in as they stepped forward.

There was no kun attached to her words, his name sounding shockingly sterile without it, dropping from those lips. He hadn't expected it from her. Clearly she thought she was his equal. She was still treating this like she had any footing with him. He shook off the reverie her words were trying to have.

"What you allow doesn't matter, Sakura. I _will_ kill him. You cannot stop me from that, and to try would be stupid." Sasuke told her.

"I don't deny that. But I can't let you." She replied her words resolute, though she shook with the effort.

"Because you love him? Because he's twisted you and manipulated you around his murdering fingers so that you can see nothing else but him? I once loved him like that before he killed my family before my eyes. And you choose to side with that murderor?You're pathetic Sakura, and you haven't changed at all since I left. You're still so annoying and as shallow as ever. If you ever loved me, or claimed to, you wouldn't deny me this." Sasuke told her.

"And that's precisely why I must. You can't even see it, Sasuke. You can't see how this illusion is deceiving you, consuming you. I won't let you do it. Because I love you, and because even _more_, I love him, I can't let you do that. I will fight to protect what I love most. That is my nindo"

Itachi flinched on the words, nearly choking were he not so in control of his emotions.

"You're the one who's imagining things." Sasuke snarled.

"Itachi is not your enemy, and neither am I. But I won't stand by and do nothing anymore. I cant. I regret that I didn't do anything when you and Naruto fought. You almost killed each other. I will not let history repeat itself. Itachi...please... watch my back as I fight what I loved most, for what I love most" Sakura pleaded.

Sasuke's angry growl ripped from him.

"As _always _it is left to me to tear down your illusions and show you what reality is. If my blade is the only reality you will accept then I will give you what you ask for; a swift death!" Sasuke snarled launching forward intent to kill.

Sakura's eyes widened.


	29. Two Edges

**AN:** I own none of the characters. The moves I created for Sakura are mine through ridiculous amounts of research. The names of things are regular Japanese names but the moves themselves and the ideas from that came from me. If you want to make Sakura a bad ass, get your own. A lot of this has to do with how I see science and the sharingan, don't like it? Don't read.

Listening to this music will probably give you the feel for the chapter:

**Music of the update:** Breaking Benjamin "Dance with the Devil" (especially this one) Evanescence "Going Under" and rendition of "Thoughtless" orginally by Korn, Apokalyptica and music by System of a Down.

**Movie of the update:** Advent Children

**Definitions:**

Sakuranzen: Blossum Forecast.

Sakuranbo: Sakura Blooming.

Mono no aware: The sympathy of all things

Shidarezakura: Weeping cherry

A Few points of usefulness

:: and italics denote flashback scenes.

And special thanks to youtube providers for double sword wielding fights.

"_The beauty of the world has two edges, one of laughter, one of anguish, cutting the heart asunder" - Virginia Woolf-_

The world had almost come to a standstill. Almost. Time dripped down her face so slowly she almost couldn't feel it. What she could feel was the air freezing, constricting in her chest, trapped in her veins. Her sharp gasp whittled as Sasuke's chakra aura rose, condensing as he released his kusanagi blade sliding from it's sheath the sound of the slide dialating her pupils. Chidori crackled, lancing through that steel blade lighting up as his fury ignited. She could feel it, could taste it as she swallowed the cress building in her mouth. His anger roared like a tidal wave.

He came at her. But so slowly. The world had nearly stopped.

It was true. She had wanted this. She had wanted this more than she could truly process, but reality hadn't hit her like a slap in the face until now. The world was so laggard, sluggish as Sasuke charged, each frame of his movement coming to life like a panel, getting closer as she blinked his image fading from hers. If she couldn't shake this spell, this dull sense of dysphoria he_ would_ kill her. He would run her through with that chidori lanced blade, straight through her heart. He might take her head. She would die, in front of Itachi's eyes, worthless, _Useless_.

In less time than it took to blink, those jade eyes flared awake, alive and aware; alight with fire as she heard the sharp clang of steel. It brought her back around. Sakura was just as surprised as she felt her muscles in her arms straining on the calloused grips of her katanas. Her arm muscles burned with the exertion of defending his blow. Sweet hot adrenaline coursed through her veins. And Sakura could feel the exultation that she hadn't crumbled; she hadn't wilted. Her body hadn't failed her. Her heart hadn't either. Her body knew her will even if her spirit was faltering, but no more, no longer. Sakura stared into those crimson orbs filled with nothing but hate and she grinned, igniting.

His eyes were both hungry and empty trying to fill a longing he would never be able to. Sakura knew better than that. His emptiness was a mask for the loneliness and darkness creeping in on him. He would try to consume the world with those eyes. And with her eyes she would save it.

She summoned a tiny amount of Chakra, sending him tumbling back with her strength. With a kick to the floor she sent a chasm of earth towards him. Sasuke was already mid air, sending his chidori lances flying from his blades as he moved his sword up, ready to take her head. Sakura dodged the lightning strikes parrying another blow meant for her head, sending him sailing over as he grew dangerously fast, striking again midair as he landed retaliating. He volleyed blows at her, crushing the ground from the pressure of his foot as he leapt to the offensive.

But she had trained for dangerously fast. She increased her speed as he did, being careful not to waste her energy.

::Flashback::

_ Sakura felt the sting from his blow, like one from her shishou, knocking the wind from her, addling her senses as Itachi stood over her blurring vision. Seeing stars in her eyes and wondering what on earth had hit her so hard so fast, Sakura remembered again just who she was dealing with._

_ "How presumptuous of you Sakura." Itachi told her without pity or concern. _

_ Of course Sakura couldn't hear him very well from the ringing in her ears. Her head ached. She might have a mild concussion. She could feel her equilibrium sliding. _

_ 'W-wha-" She began. _

_ "You assumed." Itachi told her unsympathetically. Sakura drew the desperate breathe her lungs were pleading for, gulping greedily, as she sat up, feeling her world spin. _

_ "H-how-" Sakura began but coughed. _

_ "You thought that by expending your energy in one burst, it would allow you the advantage. Instead, I had predicted your clumsy moves and with considerably less expended energy, given you ample return for your folly." Itachi told her, haughty tenor rising for emphasis. _

_ "Again." He ordered, guard up. _

_::end Flashback::_

Volley after volley of blows exchanged and parried and she could tell by the narrowing of those eyes, the clench of his jaw and the sweat on his brow that he was beginning to get irritated.

Irritated was an understatement. Unrighteous fury assailed her upon his perfectly sculpted face. With a snarl, he slashed, revealing his hand as Itachi had predicted.

::Flashback::

_"Most S class ninja will err towards caution upon meeting you." Itachi told her, eyes alight as he sipped his tea. Sakura quirked a pink eyebrow at him, not understanding. _

_ "You, Sakura are an enigma. You are a controversy of interest. They will hold back, subconciously, partially because you're a woman, and partially because you have the kind of looks that assume one being soft and pliant." Itachi told her. Sakura scowled about to respond to his baited words, but he cut her off._

_ "Of course that also makes you dangerous and foreign in the S class world and they might overcompensate. But they will wait for you to make the first blunder hoping to force you to attack first, all the while counting their time for their finishing move. You must use this to your advantage by not wasting your energy on their indolent senses. You must force them to reveal their hand." Itachi told her. _

_ "And you think I can force someone to reveal their hand?" Sakura asked him, hands on her hips as she stared at the raven haired Uchiha heir. _

_ "No." Itachi told her bluntly. "Not yet." He told her Sharingan whirling as they began to spar. _

_ ::end Flashback::_

Sword flashed, blindingly bright as the chidori lanced blade danced, streaking in a fantastic free flowing arc, meant to cleave flesh from bone as he attacked her flank trying to cut at her defense. He kept moving, flowing from one position into the next forcing Sakura to press into her energy reserves to keep him at bay. Sakura kept her blades low and fluid to save energy, moving from blow to jarring blow. Deflecting her blades, he riposted from above with god like speed. Sakura's swords moved from their defensive crouch, into a criscrossing formation, the only defense she could muster in time as she cursed, locking them to avoid being hacked in two as he bore down on her.

She could feel the heat from his condensed lightning justsu, decrepitating as he crushed her defense. Her swords hissed from the heat and stress and he added hasty pressure, the lightning singeing her cheek. Startled, she kept her wits about her, cheek silently screaming, bubbling skin protesting from his malevolent administration. The maniacal grin on his face made her cold and afraid for that second. If there was one thing Sakura was, it was tenacious. She would not give in to him anymore. Jade eyes narrowed, arms shaking as the two were at a stalemate. She forced her retreat bracing her left foot back, holding his sword , leaning her weight back on that foot, whilst one of hers slunk beneath his. With a cry of rage, she released her own inner strength built from having to hold Itachi at bay without chakra, forcing him back by simultaneously lunging in with quick and biting force.

If she used chakra, Sasuke would see it, the chakra lighting up before his birthright. He would be able to predict her sword strikes before she even planned them, chakra coils revealing themselves. Sakura had become a better sword wielder than that, her frame tight, her motions like the strike of lightning, unpredictable because her core never moved without follow through. Sasuke wasn't as good with the sword as he liked to think, relying far too much on those Sharingan eyes instead of his own footwork and riposte. He could see her attack, but could he respond in time?

The feel of flesh on steel and Sasuke's astonished face falling into an expression of pain before the emotion was crushed greeted her. The expression didn't hold sliding across his face like wet paint on a canvas. Sakura tasted the sweet victory of a stylized attack he hadn't anticipated, her sword hacking a sizeable slice into his thigh. It must be frustrating being able to see her attack for what is was but not having the where withal to respond quick enough. Recoiling, before he could do any further, she leapt back, allowing him the moment to tend his wound. Sakura had more important things to do making the necessary preparations, hands whirling through hand symbols.

Sasuke eyed the wound, blood dripping from the gash. Sakura's knuckles crashed into the ground, creating a chasm of open earth to which he merely side stepped with a light grimace. Something fell from her hands into the ground as she muttered lost words.

Sasuke's white shirt came off, revealing hardened muscle. His skin, like his brothers, was nearly flawless. He took the fabric between his teeth, he ripped it into strips. He wrapped it around his thigh above the heavier purple ropes, binding the wound tightly. Sharingan narrowed as he glared upon her. Annoying. She was irritatingly annoying. Apple green eyes danced in his vision, as she tensed like a cat. Words were not needed on such a heated exchange.

Hundreds of kunai and shuriken sailed from his hands, Sakura's swords moving in wide silver circles to keep them at bay. Green eyes widened as she saw the tags and heard his words.

"Goukakyuu no jutsu!"

Sakura felt the enormous blast of hot air, fire blazing towards her in clouds of red and yellow blue to black. She curled, flying as the explosion took her spiraling out of control mid air. Burnt and shocked, she barely turned quick enough as Sasuke lept through the dying flames, their swords ringing as they battled mid air while the sky darkened. Sakura was spinning, twirling in her mad flight, plummeting as their blades clashed and sang. Sasuke let off of his descent, as Sakura plummeted uncontrollably spinning, a crater smashing into the ground with her crash.

Sakura grimaced, skin torn, and miscellanious scratches and bruises. Sasuke grinned, blade at her neck as his sneer darkened. He himself bore burns from his own attack, his hair and clothing singed. Gasping, one eye closed from the burn, Sakura looked up at him and grinned, substitution log appearing with her own gift for the dark Uchiha prince. Sasuke's eyes widened, black flames rising on the surface of his skin as the second explosion peaked across the sky tearing the land from the ground, as it plummeted down the cliff below, senbon raining down.

Sakura stood, waiting. Snakes, Orochimaru's efforts highlighted, lay dying on the ground by the newly formed cliff, disappearing as the chakra dissipated, covered like pin cushions with senbon. Sakura could feel the change in his chakra and knew this would be hard.

"Try not to be too dissapointed, Sakura. My Sharingan can see through such cheap geinin tricks" Sasuke told her coming closer as the change became apparent. Red sharingan eyes stared at her from beneath a mass of... purple? A winged appendage had grown out of his back and Sakura was forced to take a breathe as she came face to face with Sasuke's demon, his cursed seal.

Trembling, Sakura stared at him. He merely grinned, canines sharp as his sword gleamed.

"Still think you have a chance, Sakura? If you bend your neck, I'll gladly put you out of your misery. Call it a stroke of mercy" Sasuke told her, sword and eyes gleaming for blood.

Face to face with the devil. The darkness Sasuke made no attempt to quelm. This was his true self, the selfish ambitious devil on the inside of his soul. The one he had always had, would always have. This was what she had been afraid of seeing. The_ real_ Sasuke. Like skeletons from some proverbial closet, his darkness was literally embodied, and it reminded her of her own weakness and insecurity. It brought her back to her childhood, and it was horrific the transformation. After all she had always understood what it was like to have another self underneath the surface, it just shocked her to the core to see it.

This was the difference between them, what had always been the difference between them. This was also the person who had said her entire life that she couldn't. What had always held her back, was the darkness and jealousy and insecurity, both hers and his. This darkness he wore, parading about like some mask. It made her sad. It made her angry. She could see the stump where the other appendage should have been, but now only blood and twitching vessels remained.

"Where was your _mercy_ when you abandoned us?" Sakura snarled, eyes hardening as she lifted her swords, defiant.

"Enough." Sasuke told her. "Let's finish this."

Moving with a speed of a fresh fight, not one where she had been tossing him about with, Sasuke came at her from everywhere at once too fast to block. How the hell had he conserved this much energy? Was Itachi wrong about his brother? Or perhaps her fall had messed with her sense of depth perception ruining her own chances by her carelessness. With one bleary eye, Sakura felt his knee connect with her face. She could feel, with dismay, the shattering of her cheekbone, as he used her as a training dummy, pummeling her with blows too fast to block all of them. She spit up blood, a cracked tooth following as he sent her flying up with a vicious chakra laden uppercut. It was his leg that kicked her further before she could duck dodge or weave, knocking the wind out of her. He was too bloody fast, everywhere at once, memories surging as she remembered these moves from his geinin days. He had used these moves to win and progress in the chuunin exams. She was prepared for the next hit, sending her plummeting back down to the ground, but unable to respond, the kick hard and fatal.

Every memory of him burst from her eyes, blurring her vision with tears. The world moved slower than it ever had. Every moment they had been a team, every second of it, all the missions they had shared, from the first test with the fires they had sat at in silence, all of them snuggled in their bedrolls. The best times when they had really felt like a team; The moments between her and him, Kakashi and Naruto. The laughter, the awkward need for all of them to band together. The memories seared, pricking her like senbon all over, bleeding as the ground drew near, pouring out from her like a gaping wound. She choked, the tears blinding her as she impacted. The ground was there, and her pain burst limbs roaring in agony as bloodshot eyes opened, glazed with pain. She reached trembling hands to her swords, released on her ascent. Sasuke kicked them out of reach, sword stabbing through her very hand.

She screamed in pain. Broken, helpless, she could see his blurry figure in her tear blinded eyes. The tears dropped without her permission, crystal saline flowing down her battered cheeks as they cleared.

"Good bye Sakura" Sasuke said, sword drawn above his head as he towered over her. She couldn't move. She couldn't blink, those sharingan eyes had her as she stared at him. And then she sw it. Sakura's eyes widened as she stared at his hip. There was no wound.

Green eyes pulsed, her heartbeat palatable in the smothering heat that was suffocating her as the world turned negative. Panic and adrenaline drew forth as her heart raced faster than she could afford it to. She felt her arm tingle, knew the signs, and what she could expect as her lungs convulsed. She felt the heart attack coming. Gasping, choking, spasming she could feel her life dwindling as the pressure rose. She was somewhere between suffocating and cardiac arrest, the stress and pressure on her system warping her sight, the negatives images flaring back and forth like some horrible nightmare.

Inner Sakura's voice could be heard, telling her to rise, to get up, to defeat this, him once and for all to do something. She could feel the power in her words, the power in herself. There was strength in her conviction and she felt her physical strength returning overpowering the illusion. Sakura drew from that power inside. Inner Sakura's battle cry split forth from her lips as she saw the image infront of her, of Sasuke poised with a blade cracking, like pieces from a shattered mirror, blinding her with star dust.

"SHANNARO!" Her cry, her voice split her ears, and Sakura fell forward, gasping, her heart racing as she trembled, her body soaked in sweat. Narrowed jade stared up at a shockened Sasuke.

Sakura got to her feet, stumbling, green eyes narrowed as her pupils dialiated at the light and freedom from genjutsu. The traces of his cursed seal disapeared from the white of his skin though whether that was because he was out of chakra or because he had something else in mind she couldn't tell.

"How?" He said, so quietly she almost missed it, his hands absolutely shaking in rage.

She knew he was desperate in his obcession to discover how had she managed to escape from his genjutsu, to completely shatter it entirely. She wasn't about to give him the satisfaction. Like a child throwing a tantrum, Sasuke couldn't handle that she had defeated him outright even if she revealed herself. Her cheek sizzled, green chakra evaporating from it like water, as her wounds healed all over. The immediate relief, the feel of her musclelature responding was sinfully sweet.

"HOW?" Sasuke's arrogant demand resounded. Sakura said nothing, fists clenched. Bandaged fell from his wrists as he summoned his huge shuriken weilding them in his hands as he charged. Sakura's eyes narrowed.

"TELL ME!" Sasuke demanded, eyes crazed.

She did not respond. Sasuke had always liked to think that he was more important than he really was. Cold, dark, disdaining of everyone and everything, he simply couldnt fathom that he wasn't important enough to answer. Clearly he felt that he deserved the answer, as he snapped and tried to tear her apart. Green shuriken, made from her own chakra, rose to meet his, meeting him clang for clang as the battle picked up pace.

Apple green eyes shinned with equal ferocity "No." She replied, and green chakra ignited, beginning to slice through the shuriken.

Her foot connected with his jaw, slicing through the circular blades like butter as he grew careless. Sasuke richoted off the ground from her power housed hit, dragging along the dirt as he tumbled, catching himself in a crouch, as he panted. He may be able to see it, but he was being careless not to avoid it. Sasuke had always had too much esteem in himself.

Sakura grinned, sharp as steel, hand flat as she moved her fingers, back and forth, beckoning him to her. Sasuke's eyes narrowed. She was mocking him. "I'm through messing around." Sasuke told her.

She didn't reply simply lifted up her blades. "Sakuranzen" She cried, her blades glowing green with her chakra.

Sasuke charged, chidori blade ready to slice through her. They met her green glowing blades and the lightning chakra that crackled like a thousand chirping birds, blue gleaming light that burned fiercer than a fire suddenly and abrubtly disaapeared.

"Impossible-" He declared, red sharingan eyes wide. What the _hell- _this was unacheiveable-what she had done-What _had _she _done_? Why wasn't the sharingan picking up the subtle detection? She had found some way to thwart his birthright? How was this _even _possible?

"Improbable" Sakura replied, handle of her katana smashing into his chin as she turned, giving him another taste of her foot.

Sasuke's neck turned with the blow taking it for what it was. He stood there in shock, eying her mouth agape, with that incredulous look.

"Not impossible. Every lightning based attack can be countered by inversing the technique" Sakura told him. "And thanks to your brother copying your technique, I was able to come up with this. It's over Sasuke." Sakura told him.

Sakura, alone with _his_ brother. Sakura being guided by his brother. Sakura working and training with Itachi. Sakura. And. Itachi. Dark, deep and abiding hatred could be seen and felt emanating from his being.

"It's only begun" He retorted in a voice equal to that presence.

Sasuke summonded his lightning technique again, moving with startling speed. Sakura only smiled. He would never learn. She countered his technique with her own nulling the lightning jutsu somehow. It wasn't that she had inverted the technique. She had made it dissapear, chakra and all entirely. Which led him to believe it was something else. There was something else happening.

"Goukakyuu no jutsu!" Sasuke cried launching the huge fire barrage at her. Sakura summoned her own defenses.

"Doton Doryuu Jouheki!" She cried, the earthen wall rising up. The fire exploded against the wall, blasting a giant hole through the Sakura's summoned barricade. She stood when the dust settled untouched.

"RARRRGHH!" Sasuke snarled, launching himself towards her.

Sakura sighed. "You leave me no choice Sasuke."

"Sakuranbo" She called. Sprouting out of the ground, shooting up tall and proud stood a giant oak tree before his very eyes. It would have taken lifetimes what took only seconds to shoot up before him.

He could feel the chakra within it, trying to understand it as he stared at it with sharingan eyes. It was full of chakra but being processed by tiny microscopic organisms, sheilding his vision. Ridiculous. He could not use his kekkei genkai to understand it. Impossible. He would destroy it and kill her as he should have from the very start.

He brought out his blade, igniting it with lightning.

"You never learn" Sakura told him, igniting her own blade with green. The chakra around the blade disappeared as it crashed together with her own, swords moving at blinding speed. She blocked every one of them, returning cut for cut, before her booted foot came up finding purchase under his chin, her sword, slashing his chest as he hit cried out in pain.

Sasuke wiped the blood from his chin, red Sharingan crystalizing in their intensity. He summoned his Chidori, crackling from his fingertips. He saw her sigh.

"I suppose it's time. Mono no aware no jutsu" She sheathed her swords, summoning her chakra, and he felt chakra being drawn from the very ground itself. Earth chakra...how was she doing this?

A tiny pink globe appeared, hovering with chakra denser than he had seen, compressed into the tiny pink gigantic tree behind them trembled as the wind picked up, blowing leaves everywhere. Green light flickered, the tree glowing with the same color of her chakra, rising to the sky itself as it surrounded the orb crackling with the power of a condensed chidori. Sakura had figured out how to condense a rasengan surrounding a chidori without mixing the chakra.

Sasuke stood and watched in awe and utter horror, as she stepped forward, controlling it all by the maticulate and precise chakra control she possessed. One move wrong, one blink, and the entire thing would take him and her and the rest of the valley with it.

Madara's visible eye widened in shock. "Impossible." He echoed, panic now setting in as he disappeared retreating into his vortex.

Itachi felt the proud smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Shidarezakura" She called, releasing the immense chakra towards Sasuke and away from Konoha. She had waited for this, waited for this very moment. She had waited until he was facing this way to unleash her fury upon him. She had this planned from the start. She had grown immeasurably in the time they had been apart. It was hard to really take in that this was Sakura, the same useless Sakura who was now something formidable.

Red eyes jetted to the ones that mirrored his own. His own flesh and blood. Brothers bound by love and hatred so deep it was etched on their souls, staining them, defining them. Itachi. Even the name brought a hardened sneer, a surge of contempt so deep, it was unfathomable. _It was his fault_, he thought malevolently. This was all his fault.

Itachi had the audacity to smirk, to leer at _him_, mocking him even now at the end of all things. The light around Sakura was getting brighter and brighter until even her jade eyes faded from his view as the explosion was too bright to see.

Sakura stood, the canyon she had created from her final attack taking the bulk of chakra she had left. She was not depleted. But that had killed him. She could not sense his chakra any longer. Sakura had defeated him. Nothing could have withstood that. Nothing. It was beyond all possible reconciliation, she fell to one knee gasping for breathe as she trembled, the backlash from holding such chakra wreaking havoc on her system. Her hands were burned from being so close to the compressed chidori. Her frame shook, as if in shock.

She giggled, turning into a bubbled infectious laugh as she fell back on her bottom the insanity of the situation hitting her. But she had not seen his body. That would be the proof. Rising, struggling to stand, her confidence began to waver.

And then she saw it. Green eyes widened. The shadow of a mirage in the distance moving closer with every blink, though slowly. Was she simply seeing things? There was no possible way he had lived through that.

Sasuke was alive, blade drawn as he limped to her, blood freely falling from miscellanious cuts and gashes. His arm was covered in blood that trailed like water down his forearm. Sakura had gone deep into her reserves of chakra. She was at a significant disadvantage. She would be slower, unable to respond as quickly as she had before. Even if she poured out everything that she had left, it would not be enough.

His eyes. It was in them as clear as day. His eyes were out for blood. He would kill her for the pains she had caused, for the pain she had uprooted and unsettled deep within him. Fear, terror like none other gripped her. She had chosen this, had seen it through, had _failed_ and now she would die. She fell to her knees, unable to stand any longer.

Sasuke grinned, ear to ear, his glee, his antipathy shattering her in it's wake. She trembled, feeling his triumph crushing her.

"How precious it is to see you on your knees, Sakura. Did you get tired of playing hero so soon?" He mocked.

Sakura choked, as he slid his sword down the length of her cheek, slicing into it shallowly. He grasped her cheeks within his hand, fingers clenching into them, forcing her lips together as her blood touched his fingertips. With the same hand he dabbed her blood onto her lips. She turned from him, jadde eyes glinting in defiance, as she wiped her lips on her shoulder, baleful look still refusing to cave and crumble.

"And you still think you have the will, the strength left to defy me." Sasuke laughed, slapping her face with his knuckle guard.

Sakura's green eyes never left his, still burning. But he was no longer looking at her.

"Shall I kill her Aniki? After all, she has failed us both. Me, in being able to do anything conceivingly right, and you in being weak. I would be doing us both a favor to release her from her uselessness to this plane of existence." Sasuke's voice was cold and menacing.

Sakura couldn't look at Itachi. She couldn't bear what he would look like, how he would look at her now. Her fist clenched, and she felt the tears.

Itachi was as silent as the grave, expressionless as always. Sasuke's smile turned sour.

"Well? No response for your star pupil? Or shall I say your _whore_?" He challenged.

Itachi stood, resolute. Sakura felt her lungs contract, the sob stuck, depriving her of air, of reason. His sword arched over her throat, Sakura forced to pull her head back to avoid beheading by her own volition. She did not look into his eyes. She did not deserve to any longer. She looked straight into Sasuke's.

"Is this your victory? Killing me? The weakest member of your team? The useless one? You accused me of being useless, but all you ever wanted was his respect. And in that _you _failed. You couldn't even live up to your own brother." His foot to her mouth and the tremendous amount of pain and blood flow stopped anything else she would say.

"The only reason you are still alive is the pleasure of watching_ him_ loose you." Sasuke snarled and then his eyes took on a calmer mood as he listened to the clouds.

"You will watch her die, Aniki. I had saved this for you, but I think... this is how it is meant to be" Sasuke said the grey clouds darkening.

Itachi's eyes widened a fraction at the sheer amount of power being summoned.

Sakura could feel it, as it began to rain, the droplets washing the blood off of her face. Perhaps this was the gods way of forgiving her. The thunder boomed, turning into lightning and striking the tree and setting it ablaze, releasing all of the bugs that processed the nitrogen, burning up in a small hiss from the lightning strike. She felt the lightning crackle, the thunder resounding, roaring in the space, and watched as it began to take form. No. This was the gods vengeance for her arrogance. In what world could she ever have defeated him? The lightning creature above her howled, it's sound like something she had never heard before. Sakura looked upon her death, refusing to look away.

"I call it Kirin. It will end this." Sasuke said, though whether that was to Sakura or Itachi she would never know.

With blinding speed the great lightning beast plummeted from the sky. Sakura never blinked, never looked away as she felt the heat envelope her.


	30. Emerge

"_Out of intense complexities intense simplicities emerge.__"__ -Winston Churchill-_

Pein stared at the decree from Uchiha Madara with growing concern. He read the terse message piercing rinnegan whirling in contempt at it's script. Madara was allegedly taking care of matters regarding Akatsuki and the potential that Uchiha Sasuke might join it's ranks. Sasuke? An Akatsuki member? The brat Uchiha only had one love, himself. He would not understand the need for a new world order, nor be able to commit fully to the their cause, particularly regarding one older brother. Madara's actions would prove disastrous should an offer be extended to that one. Sasuke simply couldn't be trusted.

It was difficult to see anything useful in Sasuke, especially in comparison to his brother. There was nothing of the older in the younger. Itachi was constant, reliable, worked in patterns and logical rational thought and completed things in sequential order. Every move was meticulously planned and concise, not a move wasted, an action unneccessary. Sasuke was bound by his emotions, inconsistent in his methods and wavering in his consistency. If he had a plan or a reason, it was hard to see, and he lacked the follow through or the rational to execute it without excess waste of time and resources. Furthermore, Sasuke had betrayed his country, and recently his latest master for further power. Madara was a fool if he thought he could control him.

Pein returned to the matter at hand as he finished reading the message and the next lines shocked him. Madara would also be dealing with Itachi, who had gone rogue from the organization's wishes and would be executed by his own hands. Piercings shifted at his hardened expression. Pein found that difficult to believe. Skepticism seemed to be catching. Pein was not one to hold onto to sentimental attatchments. No, everything he had, even the bonds forged, were all for one cause and one cause only. However, Pein was not as objective as he wanted to be.

It was true. He was fond of the Uchiha. He and Itachi had never had any quantifiable quarrel. Itachi was compliant to his own wishes and more importantly to the organization's wishes in every way leaving no complications as far as the two went. The boy had grown up within their ranks and Pein had seen him grow into the man he was now. Contrastingly, Itachi's relation to Madara was not without some malice. There was bad blood between the two, though Madara had helped him cull the Uchiha clan. Madara had never cared for the prodigy, probably something akin to jealousy in the old patriarch. The eldest Uchiha and he had always rubbed each other the wrong way.

Pein had never had any complaints about the Uchiha until the most recent events involving one petal haired medic nin. Itachi had completed every mission with success. He was not the kind to turn at the drop of a hat unless he had a great deal to gain from it, and still something didn't sit right about the entire situation. Madara would apparently be preoccupied dealing with those matters, but Akatsuki was to continue to take missions to gain the funding necessary for further endeavors. To continue to hunt the jinchuriki. So they were to do as they were told while Madara did as he pleased at the organizations expense? Madara was nearest to the nine tails. Why would _he_ not pursue it?

Pein's eyes narrowed. Madara was a fool. Uchiha Madara was sacrificing everything, their entire operation all for his designs for Sasuke. Or more importantly the eyes that the old Uchiha patriarch could steal to unlock more hidden powers. Pein was no fool. He knew Madara best of all. The old patriarch was getting fatter off of the powers Akatsuki 's members had harvested with their blood and sweat. It appeared that he had forgotten their purpose, their cause in his lust for personal gain.

Everything they had worked for. Everything they had accomplished together. The sacrifices they all had made in order for Akatsuki to succeed, to thrive as an underground s class organization bent on destroying the world to save it. How many members had died trying to see the birthing pangs of their project take flight? And Madara was about to throw it all away just for a new set of eyes to use and burn through. Instead of persuing the jinchuriki like they were supposed to. Instead of persuing justice to reach true peace. And to exchange the youngest brother at the expense of the elder?

Pein's fist clenched.

"Nagato?" Konan's voice called as she landed inside, paper wings ruffling. Her blue eyes held their concern as she stared at their leader.

Konan only said his true name when they were alone and unwatched, at a time like this, just between them when they were certain no one was watching. Perhaps she did it to remind him of who he was, who they were, so many years before Akatsuki had formed. But Pein was merely a name, a body he choose to inhabit from his own torment and he had several that he could control and manipulate at once. Each held several piercings with the dark metal. The many piercings were akin to a real life radar system, transmitting his will from his real body hidden away from those who would try to stop them. As Pein, he was practically invincible.

He eyed his short haired companion, the paper rose in her hair rustling as she followed him. Her Akatsuki robe was not donned, her clothes simple and practical for battle. He had never seen a lovelier creature in all of his life, and he never would. It was not her appearance that made her lovely. Konan had always cared more about him than she should have. Nagato wondered briefly if that was because he bore the image of Yahiko, her first real love. Nagato dismissed the notion. He could not change the past. Their friend was gone, gone forever from this world, but not in their hearts. They could, however, change the future, the future they had fought so hard to create from the ashes of war that was now being threatened.

"He is wasting everything we have toiled and bled for. It is unforgiveable, this time." He said with finality.

Konan's eyes widened. "What would you have us do, my lord?" She asked, with a slight bow.

Konan was loyal to the end. His precious nakama. A true friend, a partner to everything they had built. She had been by his side from childhood. Dependable, trustworthy, she never lied to him, and she never failed to get the job done. She was family, the only he had known that was left alive in his short time.

"We will fight. Akatsuki's ambitions will not be overshadowed by Madara's lust for personal gain. As the head of this organization, it does not benefit Akatsuki for him to gain Sasuke's eyes particularly not when we are so close to gaining all of the jinchuriki." Pein said.

"Had he focused half of his efforts on Akatsuki, instead of on Sasuke we might have captured all of the jinchuriki. Instead he persues a child, and for what? Only to take what is not his, to steal the very eyes from the youngest Uchiha." Pein snarled, pacing back and forth.

"You speak of rebellion, my lord." Konan replied, walking next to him as he paced.

"Yes." Pein said, rinnegan whirling like the epicenters of an earthquake about to errupt. "It has come to that."

"Rain has sat under his clutches and we have waited for this peace, bled and toiled for it, some of us giving our very lives for it. And he wastes his time on that brat prince while Akatsuki suffers in waiting for him to remember us. Akatsuki will not be cast aside so carelessly. We will make him hear our voice" Pein said. Those rinnegan eyes held the sincerest of wills.

Konan nodded in understanding. "Shall we inform the others?"

"Immediatly. We must make haste to the Valley's end." Pein replied.

"To arms then, my lord?" Konan asked him paper wings spread, ready to take flight the instant he commanded so.

"To war" He replied with finality.

…...

When Itachi had undertaken this endeavor, he had thought nothing of the petal haired nin. She was a contingent, an annoyance, a mishap that he would take care of later when he had all the information he needed. He could admit it. He had been attracted to her, as he would any female at that particular point in time. But Sakura was different. She was the exception.

She had proven herself worthy of his time and attention at every turn around the bend. Emboldened by her lure about information on Sasuke's death, he had taken her under his wing, and they had embarked on a journey to discover who had murdered his brother. They had travelled through countries, completed missions together. He had trained her, sharpened her, honed her. Less than a few months they had been together, not enough time to forge true bonds, and yet she had, in such a short time, gotten underneath his skin, scratched beneath the barbed wire and traps designed to keep her out.

When he had thought he would have to kill her, during their training, he had almost heisitated. He, the man who had killed nearly his entire family without so much as a shaky hand. He didn't want to kill her. She knew everything he had done. Secrets he had sworn he would keep to the grave, she now knew. Sakura had come to mean something to him, and not just as a partner, or a disposable playtoy. Things had changed when she left Konoha. She knew what it was like to walk away from everything she had ever loved. She understood. She undertood him. Had she become so intrinsic that she saw into his soul? She knew what kind of a monster he was now to borrow her own terms, killing his own family under orders of the Sandaime.

It was as incredulous as it seemed. He had connected with another living being in a way that he had never felt before. And once she knew of his past, what had really happened, she should have run. She should have done everything in her power to leave him, to get far far away from him. But she didn't. The wonder of it all was that she hadn't turned, or run away from him. In fact, upon finding out, she had run to him, insisting upon staying, staying with _him, defending him._

And now, at the end of all things, she was still standing by him.

He neither deserved nor sanctioned any kind of forgiveness, least of all from one such as her. She gave it freely, such was the beauty of Sakura, of who she was. She had accomplished what no one else had achieved. She had become something precious to him above all things; a fate not even his own family had achieved in the end. She had come alive under his tutelage, grown in the strong fierce woman that now kneeled before his brother's sword, waiting for lightning to strike.

Such a move, from his brother was not warranted. This was not like Sakura. This was not like him to feel this way, particularly about her.

His movement in that moment was brash, lacked true thought process and follow through as he was characterized for but was the truth of the matter, the core of it.

He was normally so precise, controlled in his decisions. Everything was planned out with careful meticulous deliberation. He had only one thought in that fleeting moment and it was simple and profound in his world.

_ She could not die._

Not by those hands.

The hands of a liar who had betrayed any trust she had been kind enough to offer time and time again.

The hands of a brat prince who had been given the gift of life and had thrown everything Itachi had worked so hard for him for.

The boy who had run to Orochimaru to gain power, then when he was done had turned to Madara, the true culprit and orchestrator of the annihalation of his family.

Itachi had been a pawn in the Uchiha's grander schemes. And now at the end of all things, Sasuke, the brother he had sacrificed his life for, was dancing, a puppet, with Madara pulling his strings.

Itachi would not see her wilt, not by the hands of one particularly selfish, foolish brother.

And so Itachi summoned the last thing in his arsenal. He had saved this for Madara, but it simply did not matter any longer.

…...

Sakura was forced to blink, the heat simply too much to bear. She should have felt the exploding heat crash upon her, lightning burning her flesh, striking her dead as her body ignited, electrocuted. Instead she looked up. Red clouds, dusted across black satin greeted her vision. _Itachi..._

_ "NO!" _Sasuke's petulant shriek hit the air as he fired off shot after shot of chakra.

They penetrated something, some sort of massive chakra sheild in front of her, and dissapeared. It was then that Sakura looked up. The bulking form of a hideous creature loomed just above her, it's mouth open in a hideous snarl. Upon her second look, she realized the bulk of the head was mask, and inside the mask, above the crested jewl on the forehead of the mask were yellow peering eyes, staring out from the mass of darkness. Sakura shivvered at the sheer power rolling off of the creature in waves.

"Susanou" Itachi replied to the question in her eyes. He had not turned to look at her, he stared at Sasuke who seemed to be having an episode. Blood began to pour down his eye, leaking, blood veins around his eye.

"YOU would rescue HER? You would save HER and yet you couldn't save not one of them. No, you murdered them, our family! Killed the woman who birthed you? The man who fathered you? My mother, my father! My life! GOD DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU!" Sasuke was throwing whatever jutsu's he could reasonably summon but it was to no avail.

Itachi finally turned to her, ignoring the shrieking protests of his younger brother that only increased by the back now facing him. He offered his hand to her and Sakura took it with a meek smile, trembling as she rose.

"Itachi, I'm-" Sakura had been about to apologize, but she felt the press of those thin lips burning a trail along the seam of her own. He took her in his arms and kissed her thoroughly.

"I will finish this, Sakura. You have done well." He told her. Green eyes looked into his own. She knew the resolve in them, and the course of that resolve, what it would require for him to do.

"I don't want to get in your way." She murmured feeling shy at his affection. Itachi had saved her, had intervened. She knew what that meant for someone like him.

Hands reached beneath her chin, forcing her to look up at him.

"You are the path." He told her.

Sakura could not resist the pull, the draw of those arms around her. She was able to drown out the petulant shrieking, the low rumble of the chakra creature protecting them. All that was near was Itachi, his lips, his touch, her light. She blinked, eyelashes fluttering as she looked up at him. It was then that they both sensed the change in Sasuke and both of them turned to him.

"AHG!" He cried out, Head down as they felt the ripple in his chakra. Itachi's eyes narrowed.

_You don't have any chakra left do you? _That slithering voice brought chills to his mind. Sasuke had killed Orochimaru long ago. But he lived on through the remnants of the cursed seal. So this was how he had managed to surive through the years.

_ I don't need you! _Sasuke insisted.

_You know you can't do this without me, Sasuke kun. Ku ku ku ku ku..._

Sasuke clutched his shoulder, clearly in pain as he looked up. Golden eyes threatened his own. "Rghh, NO!" He cried. Mounds of snakes began to sprout forth, exploding into action, each hissing and snarling as Sasuke tried to quelm his screams. His entire body burned, with the cursed seal, and Orochimaru's wretched influence as it seared across his skin.

"Noooo Ngh-!" He cried out.

Sakura tried not to feel pity. She was in love with Itachi, not the monster of a boy she thought she knew; a boy that had tried to kill her, that had abandoned her, and their team. But her heart still squeezed as she watched Sasuke in pain. Maybe it meant that she was human after all. She was a medic and healing was what she was supposed to do, not watch others inflicted by pain.

Itachi's eyes narrowed, as he felt a presence that should have been long dead.

"This is where I take over." said a familiar sinister voice.

Itachi and Sakura turned to see the long unkempt silver hair, the circular glasses. Kabuto. In his arms he clutched a much abused Karin who did not make a sound, contrary to her usual nature. Sakura's eyes narrowed. Behind him was a league of sound ninja as far as the eye could see. It appeared that they were anticipating trouble. This would not bode well with the other ninja nations; an army of this size on the outskirts of Konoha territory.

"You will honor our arrangement, Madara." Kabuto said.

Itachi's eyes flashed. What sort of arrangement had they made?

"By all means, take back your master." Madara said, hands beckoning him to Sasuke.

One of the snakes began to convulse and choke, mouth forced open as they heard the crazed laughter of the late seinen.

"Ku Ku Ku Ku Ku, I am free once more!" Orochimaru exclaimed glistening with mucus from his birthing. "Orochimaru sama!" Kabuto exclaimed with religious devotion. Tears formed in his beady black eyes as he stared upon his master, the true snake summoner.

Itachi's eyes narrowed, and he bid Susanou forward. The masked warrior let out a ferocious roar and a sword appeared in his former seinin laughed as the sword cut through him the creatures expression never changing.

"You fool the only sword that can cut through me is the Totsuka sword- Ghwyaak-" He choked, spitting up blood. The very sword that Itachi somehow carried.

"W-where did you possibly find this? I have been looking my entire life for this sword!" He choked, gasping for air, but only coughing up blood.

"OROCHIMARU SAMA!" Kabuto shrieked aghast as Orochimaru fell. Snakes burst from his body, but Itachi was ready, incinerating them all with a simple katon.

Madara stood by, watching all of this with no movement or comment.

"You...You Betrayed me!" Kabuto exclaimed aghast as he turned to Madara.

"There is no betrayal. I gave you the opportunity to retrieve him. You were lacking in the strength to protect your former master" Madara replied, unsympathetic.

There was nothing he could do against Madara and so Kabuto turned to the boy he blamed for all of this.

"YOU!" Kabuto cried, pointing to Sasuke. "Don't think I've forgotten. This is all your fault!" "But I came prepared." His smile was alarming.

Sasuke wheezed, his breath short as he trembled, summoning his strength. He had no chakra left. And Orochimaru was dead, all of his chances incinerated, but still his brother made no move to attack. It appeared that Itachi would not attack him. Why would he not attack? Something in his brother's eyes made him look away.

Sasuke turned to look at Orochimaru's assistant. But this time, he had heard her petulant cry and Kabuto now had his full undivided attention. Karin. Karin was in Kabuto's clutches. Grey eyes narrowed.

He shouldn't care. She was expendable surely and yet he was Hebi's team leader. He was responsible for her, for them, for all of them. He would not let sound slight him in this way.

"Release her. Now." He said, gripping his kusanagi and pointing it towards him, as he crouched.

"This is rich. The brat prince threatening me. Madara, our deal for me preparing the corpse of Sasuke for Orochimaru sama's return is broken. You have violated our agreement and thus our treaty is void. Prepare to face the wrath of Otogakure!" Kabuto declared.

"Wait." A voice came. Orange hair and a face with more piercings than she had ever seen greeted Sakura's jade eyes.

"He has far more than that to answer for." Pein said, rinnegan alight. Behind him ranged Akatsuki members, and a massive army of ninja from rain country. Kabuto paused, startled by the sight of so many ninja, and the rest of the Akatuski members.

"Pein. This is an unexpected surprise." Madara said cooly though his sharingan glittered through the hole in the mask. "I thought you had read and understood my orders."

"I read them. And this is my answer. No longer with Akatsuki be your whore to toy with. We have bleed and sweat, some of us died, to see this dream come into fruition. And you push aside all of our plans for another set of eyes. You are no better than the snake seinnin who's blood stains these grounds. Akatsuki will no longer submit to your whims. We will create a new world ourselves." Pein declared.

Itachi who had known both for years, studied both of their reactions for years, knew what was going on. Pein or truly Nagato was angry with the Uchiha Patriarch for his negligence. Nagato had always been dedicated to the cause. Madara had been using them all for years and it seemed now was the time when the rinnegan could finally see through the illusions and false deceptions Madara had laid around himself. Itachi had never seen the look of fear in those ancient sharingan eyes before. Clearly Madara had underestimated their loyalty and overestimated his own esteem. He hadn't anticipated Akatsuki upsurping him over Sasuke. Itachi felt the smirk tug at his lips, and he let it surface, hand reaching to interweave his fingers between Sakura's.

Various Akatsuki members arrived and faced each other on the field, causing the sound nin to bristle and stop in their tracks. The air was frozen it seemed as the famed S class organization fanned out against itself, various members taking their places each bearing the akatsuki cloak. The calm before the storm, the air was still, the tension of war hanging between them.

Itachi watched as each took their place. Zetsu had always been in Madara's pocket, Kakuzu as well for the pay. Surprise was his, as Hidan stood against his partner. Apparently it was not Jashin sama's will. Konan came to stand next to Hidan, as did Pein, who stepped forward towards Madara, his various inhabited bodies following.

Kisame grinned as he looked at Itachi. The sharingan user regarded his former partner. "So you've made your decision then, have you?" He stated, more than asked as he regarded the petal haired nin next to him.

"Aah" He replied evenly. "And so it would seem, you have as well." He commented as the shark man stood his ground near Madara.

"I always go for the highest bidder. The politics and the means they occur have always been meaningless in the end. The strong survive." Kisame replied with a shrug.

Itachi blinked, and then nodded, in acknowledgment and also in farewell to his former partner. They would be enemies from here on in the battlefield and that gravity kept him silent when he should have had something more to say.

Kisame snickered. Such a leaf nin in the end. Bonds. There was a look between the two, one exchanged of mutual respect a hint of a smirk as he looked upon Sakura. It was about time the kid got himself a girl.

But this was serious. This was war. And he had fought with Itachi since he was a boy. Itachi would not be one he would want to fight on this battlefield and the feeling was probably mutual given their knowledge of each other. Besides, Itachi had bigger fish to fry Kisame thought as he looked at the way Itachi was regarding Madara. A blood fued between family. This would certainly be interesting.

It was then that they heard the cry.

"SASUKE TEME!"

Sakura turned, hair whipping her as she recognized the utter desperation in that voice. The cry of agony, and dissapointment, and anger, was so clear, so apparent. He had grieved his death, not only for the loss of a brother, but the break of a promise of a lifetime. Tears ran down the whisker cheeked boy as he wore such an expression of sorrow and rage, combined and distorted that it made Sakura's heart ache. Naruto...

Madara lit up with a pleased glow, and Sakura felt her stomach drop. Here was the jinchuriki, the power of the ninetails he had been searching for to complete his schemes. Itachi squeezed her hand.

"He isn't alone." He referred to Naruto. "Apparently the Godaime sent reinforcements." Itachi pointed at the edge of the trees that hadn't been blown by their battle. Kakashi had come to stand behind him. Sai, Yamato sensei and Togoro were not far behind them.

"Itachi..." Sakura hesitated, wondering where his loyalties would lie now that Akatsuki was fighting itself.

A small smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. "Sakura, have you forgotten the promise you extracted from me?" Itachi asked her.

"So long as the Kyuubi is in Konoha I will not harm him. I will keep my word." Itachi told her. "I must go now." He said his eyes turning to Madara and Pein.

The rest of the rookie nine reached the end of the forest. Hinata, Kiba and Akamaru, Shino, Neji, Lee, Ten Ten, Shikamaru, Ino and Chouji, as well as a slew of their sensei's were present. Behind them stood Sakura's squad of Anbu, as well as several other fleets. Kakashi sensei led the Jounin who were present, and behind them chuunin. Konoha nin poured into the forest of the outskirts of the area, Sakura was surprised that she could sense them, feel them trickle in. She squeezed Itachi's hand back.

"I choose to believe in them. In us." She told him, as she released his hand to draw her sword.

"WHY?" Naruto demanded of the man he had loved better than a brother. "How could you do such a thing?"

Sasuke actually appeared shocked by the whisker cheeked Jounin.

"Dobe. I don't have time for this" He hissed impatiently as his eyes were still on Karin who was in Kabuto's clutches.

"It's only fair, isn't it? You killed what I valued most? Though you can't possibly understand the agony I feel, perhaps it will give you a small taste of what awaits you, for I will spare no expense at hunting you and everyone you know and love down." Kabuto told him.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he stared at Madara. "And you plan to let him do this?" He asked Madara.

Madara's eyes narrowed. "I have bigger concerns." He said as he stared at Pein and Konan, crouching defensively.

Sasuke had the audacity to be surprised by the betrayal. It was in Madara's nature, with such a threat. Akatsuki members prepared themselves and the breathe of war blew, hard and fierce with battle cries splitting the air. Sasuke snarled and leapt towards Kabuto.

It would later come to be known as the start of the fourth great ninja war. Rain, Sound, and Leaf battled malevolently, the cries of warriors and fallen comrades and foes, echoing across the Valley's end.

"Naruto!" Sakura cried, leaping after him, before she lost him in the crowd of bodies. Sakura pounded her way through."Sakura chan? I-Itachi?" Naruto exclaimed.

"Long story." Sakura shouted as she sliced through an enemy ninja. "Sasuke faked his death to lure Itachi out through the help of Madara. Itachi killed the Uchiha under orders of the Sandaime because they were going to rebel. Itachi is innocent of the murder as he was ordered to do it"

Naruto blocked an oncoming spear with a kunai, breaking it, and the enemy ninja's face.

"Itachi's a good guy?" Naruto exclaimed. "Is that who you've been with to figure all of this stuff out, Sakura chan?"

Sakura nodded, parrying a thrust from an enemy katana, and gouging the enemy nin quickly.

"This is about to get ugly." She said, watching as Pein and Konan stepped up to Madara. Itachi was walking towards them, Susanou still around him.

Sasuke sliced the throat of Kabuto, forcing him to release Karin from his arms. Sasuke heard the sounds of a chuckle and watched as she fell straight into the arms of a silver haired nin who took her out of harms way.

Suigetsu stood next to him, setting Karin down, and Juugo stood near by.

"Juugo! Did it work?" Karin asked her own issues forgotten in lieu of her research.

Juugo nodded. "I can control it now." He replied. They turned to Sasuke.

Sasuke was surprised by them. He had abandoned them, disbanded the very team he formed to find Itachi and kill him, and now at the end of all things, they were here, standing by him when he had been betrayed. He had lost his faith in Madara, lost so much by what he knew, or thought he knew. It was time to retreat, to reformulate their plan. With a nod, Team Hebi disappeared into the fray.

* * *

Itachi, Konan and Pein rounded on the Uchiha Patriarch. Madara's single sharingan narrowed.

"Treason is a high crime, Pein."

"You would know, wouldn't you, Madara?" Itachi replied.

"You would fight with us?" Pein asked Itachi.

"Yes." Itachi said, his eyes never leaving Madara's.

"Very well. We will accept your assitance." Pein replied, rinnegan whirling.

AN: This update took FOREVER. I am so sorry. Many things happened. I moved a few times inbetween. I reinterpreted Pein and Sasuke. Pein is too great of a character to put up with Madara's bullshit for long and that was always something that bothered me in the manga. Sasuke I think would stick to his team especially since Itachi didn't die and he's kind of been betrayed by everyone in this fic except for them. If you saw SasuKarin in this it's not my fault... really! Updates will be few and far between as I try to get settled.


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